Kangaroo veteran ascends as Suns star slides: Recruit of the Year Power Rankings - Round 15 - Zero Hanger

The top three remain unchanged in the Recruit of the Year power rankings as a Kangaroo's case for a top-five spot grows. A Saint star returns to the top four after a glistening performance under the roof, while one Sun has a lot to prove in the coming weeks to stop a slide down the rankings. Who's making the most impact in their new colours? Welcome to the weekly rankings of the Recruit of the Year contenders for 2025, with Round 15 giving us plenty to consider. James Peatling (NEW) Out of all of the 2025 recruits, Adelaide's James Peatling has possibly provided the most bang for buck. The Crows traded a future second-round pick to the Giants for Peatling and two future GWS draft selections, and so far, that looks like a fleece for the tricolours. Amongst players who moved clubs last off-season, four are averaging career-highs in disposals per game. Amongst them, Peatling has had the biggest jump, going from 13.8 disposals in 2024 with the Giants to 20.1 with the Crows (+6.3). John Noble trails him in second, increasing his previous career-best average of 20.4 by 4.2 disposals to 24.6. Peatling's improvement is across the board, however. He's averaging more inside 50s and clearances than he did in his first three seasons and is winning contested footy at a high rate too, with 9.8 contested possessions per game. That ranks fourth on the Crows list. The value Adelaide has got out of Peatling has truly been unexpected in the best way possible, and it's why he deserves to claim a spot in the top eight. Tom Barrass (-2) The Hawks' bye has caused Barrass to slip in the power rankings, but the former Eagle has made a strong claim to being Hawthorn's most valuable key position player in 2025. Barrass leads Hawthorn in most defensive metrics, from spoils (5.5 per game) to defensive one-on-one contests competed in (27 total) to intercept marks (2.7 per game). It's clear he's playing a critical role in Hawthorn's ranking as a top-four defensive powerhouse in the league. However, Barrass has also been elite with ball in hand, too, making the most of his defensive wins, leading the Hawks in disposal efficiency (85.3%). With North Melbourne and St Kilda ahead in the next fortnight, the Hawks have a fantastic chance to launch themselves back into the top four, and Tom Barrass will be doing everything in his power to help them achieve that. Luke Parker (+2) Have the Kangaroos arrived? Maybe not just yet, but Saturday's brilliant win over Carlton is a sign that things are heading in the right direction. One of North Melbourne's brilliant off-season additions was Sydney Swan Luke Parker, his leadership and poise off half-back proving to be a critical difference maker in North Melbourne's biggest fixture of the season. Parker chipped in a game-high eight clearances and five score involvements from 28 disposals, notably a season-high. 21 of those disposals were effective also, demonstrating Parker's key role in the Kangaroos' run and carry out of stoppages. Defensively, Parker was sensational too with eight tackles and 24 pressure acts, again both season-highs. He's bringing his two-way stardom so commonly seen in his Sydney days, and it's transforming North Melbourne into a team that can spoil the top-eight hopes of other clubs. John Noble (-1) The Gold Coast Suns are sliding, and so is John Noble. The Suns have now lost three straight and have dropped outside the eight, and while they got plenty from their midfield stars on Sunday afternoon, their pivotal half-back recruit duo were unable to impact the game to their season standard. On the surface, this was a good game from Noble, generating seven rebound 50s, which led the way for Gold Coast, and 21 disposals at 85.7% efficiency. However, these disposals were limited in impact, and that's seen in his rating points for the game, a season-low 3.7. His defensive presence was also practically non-existent, with just six defensive half-pressure acts for the game. Considering that GWS kicked 16 goals, the most Gold Coast's typically stingy defence has conceded this year, it's evident the Suns need more from him in that area. As a whole, Noble has been excellent for the Suns in 2025, but if they are to snap this losing streak, his defensive presence must improve. Jack Macrae (+3) While St Kilda were ultimately outclassed by the premiership favourites, Jack Macrae ensured the Saints hung around for at least three quarters to give the Magpies a run for their money. It was perhaps Macrae's most influential game since his 38-disposal outing against Fremantle in Round 8, recording 28 disposals and ten clearances, despite attending just 68% of centre bounces, the second-lowest attendance rate of his this season. Macrae led the Saints in tackles with six and generated a match-high nine inside 50s, finding form in his second match back from injury. There's a legitimate case for him to be an All-Australian this season, and games like these only strengthen that case further, despite the result. Shai Bolton (-) Shai Bolton's versatility is one of the biggest keys to Fremantle's five-game win streak, this week going forward for almost the entirety of the match and kicking two goals. He attended just 21% of centre bounces, the lowest rate of the season, and yet it didn't matter as he still made an impact when he found the ball. From 15 disposals, Bolton had three clearances and six score involvements, also winning eight contested possessions. On paper, it's a modest stat line, but Shai Bolton's influence goes beyond raw numbers with his ability to apply pressure and create chaos inside 50. He ranks fourth in the league for forward 50 ground ball gets with 2.3 per game and has become a defining feature of Fremantle's resurgence into the top eight and toward the top four. Matthew Kennedy (-) For 99% of AFL players, a 25-disposal, seven-tackle, six-score involvement and three clearance game would be a career highlight. For Matthew Kennedy, his averages decrease. While Kennedy may not score any Brownlow votes this weekend, thanks to a complete performance from all of the Bulldogs players, his efforts cannot go unnoticed. It's just another chapter in Kennedy's 2025 book of thrills that has captivated Bulldogs fans across the country and has him firmly lodged in second place in the power rankings. With a Swans clash looming and the Cats on the bye, there's every chance Kennedy can find himself back in first place next week. Bailey Smith (-) Even in games where Bailey Smith is well held or is unable to influence the contest as much as he usually does, he is still elite. In the Cats' loss to Brisbane at home, Smith won 28 disposals and a season-high seven clearances. Considering the reaction to that game from many fans was that Smith struggled against the Lions' stacked midfield, it's incredible to see what is now expected of him as Geelong marches toward September action. However, there is some credibility to the criticism. Smith has achieved a disposal efficiency of above 70% just four times this season, and on Friday night, just 16 of his 28 disposals were effective. If there's any way for him to go to the next level, despite already being a Brownlow favourite, it's to hit targets more consistently to truly weaponise his ball-winning talents.

		P	W	L	PTS	%
1	SYD	1	1	0	4	191.3
2	GC	1	1	0	4	181.2
3	GWS	1	1	0	4	128.4
4	COLL	1	1	0	4	118.2
5	HAW	2	1	1	4	117.1
6	WB	1	1	0	4	104.7
7	CARL	2	1	1	4	70.9
8	BL	1	0	1	0	95.5
9	RICH	1	0	1	0	94.7
10	STK	1	0	1	0	84.6

Kangaroo veteran ascends as Suns star slides: Recruit of the Year Power Rankings – Round 15

See which recruits are having the most impact at their new clubs after Round 15 👇

2Matthew Kennedy (-)

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