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.
2. Matthew Kennedy (-)
The bye gives us a good chance to reflect on the enormity of Matthew Kennedy's first season with the Bulldogs. He ranks fourth amongst recruits for score involvements (6.6 per game) and fifth for disposals (24.4). Bailey Smith and Jack Macrae are the only others to rank in top five for those categories.
Kennedy's versatility has been such a game changer for the Bulldogs and has helped them remain in finals contention, despite their significant injury toll which has included losing a Brownlow candidate in Bontempelli and intial Coleman contender Sam Darcy for multiple weeks at a time. His 14 goals ranks him equal third for goals scored by a Bulldog this season and he's done that while attending over 65% of centre bounces. He's truly been a sensational pick up, especially for simply a second-round pick.
