Our Rookie Rankings after Round 7 have seen another change to top spot, while a pair of Melbourne draftees can consider themselves unlucky not to make the top six.
The top six from last week's rankings remain the same, with the one change occurring after the weekend's results.
A Saints midfield-forward, Blues defender and Dogs debutant are this week's honourable mentions.
Selection Criteria: Zero Hanger's Rookie Rankings ONLY consider players who have made their debut this season. Other players who may still be eligible for a Rising Star nomination but have already made their debut before the 2025 season will not be considered. I.e. Rising Star eligible players such as Nate Caddy, Dan Curtin and Connor O'Sullivan are ineligible, having already played an AFL match before Opening Round, 2025. Suspension does not make a player ineligible for our Rookie Rankings.
Round 7 Honourable Mentions:
Max Hall (St Kilda) - 15 disposals, one goal, four tackles
Jedd Busslinger (Western Bulldogs) - 12 disposals, four marks, 83% disposal efficiency
Matt Carroll (Carlton) - 15 disposals, six marks, 358 metres gained
1. Levi Ashcroft (+1)
For the third time in as many weeks, former Sandringham Dragons teammates Ashcroft and Reid have swapped spots atop our Rookie Rankings, with the lower performance from the latter the biggest factor in this week's change.
Ashcroft was again a solid contributor for Brisbane though, collecting 23 disposals, six clearances, seven contested possessions and close to 300 metres gained.
He could've had a larger afternoon had he been accurate in front of goal, with the father-son gun booting two behinds against the Saints.
Midfielder
Disposals
Tackles
Clearances
Brisbane are scheduled for their first QClash of the year on Sunday, with Ashcroft set to play for the best-afield award named in recognition of his father Marcus.
Get set for the footy with the FREE Zero Hanger 2026 AFL Season Guide! Packed with 150+ pages of player profiles, team previews, insights and analysis, the 2026 AFL Season Guide is built for fans who want the full picture. Download your free Season Guide HERE.
