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
1Levi Ashcroft (-)
With Lachie Neale sidelined, the Lions needed their midfield depth to step up to cover his absence. While Brisbane didn't get the result they were after, falling to Sydney by two points, Levi Ashcroft demonstrated just how dominant he can be when given a run inside the midfield.
Levi was everywhere, claiming 27 disposals and a new career-high in clearances with seven. He also tied his career-high of inside 50s with six, hit his metres gained record of 495 and kicked an important third quarter goal to help the Lions claw back from a 32-point deficit.
His efforts highlighted how he is much more than just a winger, a position he has been forced to play due to how stacked the Lions' midfield mix is. His elite performance will give Chris Fagan something to consider as September approaches, and has almost certainly tightened his stranglehold on the top spot of the Rookie Rankings for the remainder of the season.
