The Crows' off-season period is paying dividends after they thumped Sydney in Round 12, with their two notable recruits both entering the Power Rankings for the first time.
A Docker is creeping back up the rankings while an All-Australian performance out west has solidified a star Cat's stranglehold on first place.
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 12 giving us plenty to consider.
5. Jack Macrae (-1)
Jack Macrae slips down the rankings slightly after the Saints proved their midfield can match it with some of the best in the competition, even in his absence. That may seem harsh, but up until this week, the Saints had struggled in the clearance battle without him, losing the centre clearances 13-7 last week to Gold Coast, his near-league-best 8.4 clearances per game visibly missing.
However, the Saints were able to turn the tide this week despite facing a red-hot Demons side with the likes of Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver playing their best footy of the season. Marcus Windhager was enormous in a breakout game, earning a team-high five clearances from his 28 disposals.
Ultimately, the Saints won centre clearances 11-9 and despite losing the stoppage clearances 23-19, they won the first ball from clearances 36 times to Melbourne's 31. There was an extra level of hunger to the Saints' inside bulls in Alice Springs, something that will go a long way when Macrae returns too. With Macrae's return from injury likely to occur against his former side in Round 14, the former Bulldog will be looking for retribution in their second encounter in eight weeks.
