A month into the season,and many rising stars from last year have continued their standout form, while those who struggled with injuries have finally made their mark on the field.

This list is based on the current standing of players from the 2024 draft and mid-season draft, while also focusing on their improvement and where they could sit by season's end.

But who of those will continue to elevate their game and prove the second-year blues superstitions wrong?

5Levi Ashcroft 

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 13: Levi Ashcroft of the Lions kicks the ball during the AFL Semi Final match between Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns at The Gabba on September 13, 2025 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 13: Levi Ashcroft of the Lions kicks the ball during the AFL Semi Final match between Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns at The Gabba on September 13, 2025 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Premierships to some are an encapsulation of the success of a player's career, while Ashcroft's was just the start of one. Ashcroft has already shown up in some big-level games and been able to excel in the challenge, albeit playing like a mirror of his brother Will at times, with the leap for the 19-year-old a matter of when, not if.

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