The top two recruits of the year thus far went head to head in Round 11, as two former Saints made names for themselves in blockbuster Saturday clashes.
A Crow continues to make his rise up the Power Rankings too after a weekend to remember, while a Docker forward drops slightly after a mediocre performance in the wet, relative to his standards.
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 11 giving us plenty to consider.
4. Jack Macrae (-)
The Saints' star recruit did not play in their loss to Gold Coast after suffering a punctured lung against West Coast in Round 10. Macrae is unlikely to play before St Kilda's Round 13 by and his absence was instantly notable against the Suns, with Gold Coast ultimately beating St Kilda in the critical midfield areas. The Suns won the clearance battle 40-38 and notably the centre clearances 13-7.
Missing Macrae, who averages almost three centre clearances per game and wins the first possession from a ruck contest better than anyone in the competition, it's no wonder the Saints couldn't match it with one of the AFL's strongest midfield groups.
A fixture against Melbourne in Alice Springs means things won't get easier for the Saints from here on out, so they'll need their budding young talents to rise as Macrae recovers. But as Macrae waits for his return, his impact on this side becomes more obvious, hence why he holds his position in fourth in the Power Rankings, at least for this week.
