Round 21 presented a wealth of classy performances from this season's batch of rookies, several of whom made notable impacts in big wins for their respective clubs.
Brisbane's prized father-son selection dominated in extra midfield minutes while a Bombers youngster earned the respect of his peers in a valiant effort at the Cattery, as the Rookie Rankings reach the home stretch.
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.
Honourable mentions:
Taj Hotton (Richmond) - 10 disposals, three marks, three score involvements
Cooper Trembath (North Melbourne) - Six disposals, three goals
4Tom McCarthy (-)
There may be no other rookie who possesses the same level of damaging ball-winning ability as Tom McCarthy, as the first pick of the mid-season draft once again demonstrated the key role he will play in the Eagles' future on Sunday night.
While the Eagles' spectacular upset effort fell agonisingly short to the ladder-leading Crows, it's hard to look past McCarthy as one of the more influential figures on the ground, gathering 29 disposals, three marks and 627 metres gained - just 12 metres shy of a career-high.
Statistics only reveal so much about this game for McCarthy, regardless of how great they are. He captivated the diehards inside Optus Stadium with a silky run off half-back in the second half, linking up with Tim Kelly in a one-two punch that set up an inside 50 and was constantly presenting as a running opportunity through the corridor in transition passages, creating 14 handball receives for himself.
The Eagles may go without a second win in 2025, but the efforts from McCarthy and co will put them in good stead for 2026, especially with Harley Reid looking likely to re-sign with the giant club.
