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.
Membrey's impact was undeniable in Collingwood's Saturday night win against North Melbourne, providing the goalkicking spark for the Magpies in the final term with two critical goals. For a far from full strength team, the late surge was impressive and highlighted the immense depth of the Magpies' group that has seen them return to premiership contention. He ended this match with eight score involvements from just ten disposals too, with his impact with ball in hand sensational.
Membrey has now kicked 14 goals for the season, fourth-most for the Pies thus far, and has proven to dynamise their forward line significantly. If he's able to sustain his scoring threat - he's failed to score a major just twice this season - there's a good chance he's a part of Collingwood's forward line deep into September.
Fremantle have continued their build toward September with a convincing win in the wet against Port Adelaide, and while Shai Bolton's influence was lower than previous weeks, he elevated his play around the contest.
Bolton finished with 18 disposals but 11 were contested, his highest contested possession rate of the season. Despite attending just 44% of centre bounces, he racked up five clearances and continued to win hard balls at an elite level, with seven ground ball gets.
With a trip to Gold Coast looming, Bolton will need to step up and damage the scoreboard more than the three score involvements that were seen from him this past week. If he can achieve that, a win and a return to the top eight is certainly possible for Fremantle.
Peatling's rise up the Power Rankings continues after a weekend to remember in Adelaide's drubbing of West Coast. His 16 disposals probably don't blow anyone away, but his impact from those moments opened the game up for the Crows.
Peatling finished the game with eight score involvements and two goals, disruptive when going inside 50. Around the contest he was a lethal ball winner, winning 11 contested possessions and eight ground balls, only outdone by captain Jordan Dawson's nine. His seven clearances, five being from stoppages, are a season-high.
While the Hawks' midfield struggled massively, losing the clearance count by 17 to Brisbane's premiership stars, their defence limited what could have been a much bigger loss. Josh Battle was crucial in keeping Hawthorn in the game for the majority of three quarters, including preventing what seemed to be a surefire goal in the goal square with a clean intercept and kick down the wing, generating a Hawthorn counter-attack.
Battle hounded the Lions forwards all afternoon, his pressure superb. He'd finish this game with three spoils and eight intercept possessions, using the ball well once in his possession, with 22 of his 23 disposals being effective.
A clash with the Magpies is ahead that may decide the trajectory of Hawthorn's season, so Battle's influence on limiting their star key forwards will be significant in bouncing back in a big way.
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.
Noble was again one of the best on ground for the Suns in their win over St Kilda, leading the charge from half-back. His 27 disposals at 82% efficiency generated six rebound 50s and four score involvements, which included a direct goal assist as the Suns pulled away in the fourth quarter.
There aren't many other half-backs getting the ball moving forward as effectively as Noble right now. He's averaging 566 metres gained per game, which ranks fifth amongst defenders, but out of the four above him, only Karl Amon hits more targets by foot (83% to 78.9% kicking efficiency). With Fremantle up next at home, the Suns have a grand opportunity to assert themselves as one of the teams to beat in 2025, if they aren't that already.
Matthew Kennedy did everything in his power to bring the Bulldogs a win in a heavyweight clash with Geelong on Thursday night, so while they ultimately fell short, his influence must be recognised.
Kennedy kicked three goals, all coming in the second half, as the Dogs gradually reduced Geelong's five-goal lead. He also led the match in score involvements with 12, though it would be frustrating to see the majority of those opportunities he created turn into several behinds.
In the midfield, Kennedy highlighted his versatility once again while notching 25 disposals and five clearances from stoppage. He's become such a valuable player in Luke Beveridge's system that now it's hard to imagine where they'd be without him.
The Bulldogs now enter the bye with a record of 6-5, Hawthorn awaiting them the week after. However, considering the injury toll the Bulldogs have suffered from this year, a winning record is a position they will gladly be in right now. That's been achievable because of the All-Australian calibre play of Kennedy.
Bailey Smith exacted revenge on his former club on Thursday with a dominant display of aggressive ball-winning and pinpoint kicking in key moments. Smith's 33 disposals, which are elite in their own right, still don't show the full picture, as he truly made his impact felt in all areas of GMHBA Stadium. Going forward he was unstoppable, contributing seven score involvements which included a 50+ metre dime to the goal square for a goal assist and a looping ball that was weighted perfectly to find Tyson Stengle.
Defensively, Smith laid seven tackles and led the match with 16 defensive half pressure acts. Once he won the football, he immediately got Geelong firing the other way, creating six rebound 50s despite attending 95% of centre bounces.
Bailey Smith talked the talk for months leading into this match. Now, he's walked the walk too.
