The Rookie Rankings after Round 18 have seen two more youngsters break into the top six, replacing Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Massimo D'Ambrosio at fifth and sixth.
A young Hawk put in arguably the best performance of the weekend, while his teammate narrowly misses out on a spot in our Rankings, with the pair both earning honourable mentions for their parts in Hawthorn's win over the Eagles.
A young Roo breaks into the top six and jumps into fifth, while out top two further extend their placing at the top.
Criteria: For our Rookie Rankings, we are selecting 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 prior to the 2022 season will not be considered.
I.e. players likeย Jai Newcombe,ย Jake Bowey,ย Corey Durdinย andย Sam De Koningย are ineligible.
VIEW: ROUND 17 RANKINGS
Round 18 Honourable Mentions
Josh Ward (Hawthorn)
34 disposals, 7 marks, 5 tackles, 6 clearances
A dominant performance for the young Hawk who has worked himself back from a concussion scare.
Josh Carmichael (Collingwood)
24 disposals, 8 tackles, 448 metres gained, 1 goal
Was among the Magpies' best ball winners in the engine room. 24 touches, all kicks.
Noah Cumberland (Richmond)
3 goals, 14 disposals, 4 marks, 4 tackles
A key part in Richmond's avenue to goal, booting a team-high three majors.
Connor MacDonald (Hawthorn)
13 disposals, 7 tackles, 5 marks, 2 goals
Another strong performance for the first-year Hawk. Narrowly misses a top six spot.
6. Jake Soligo (NEW)ย
After several honourable mentions throughout this year, young Crow Jake Soligo lands his first spot in our Rookie Rankings.
In a decision that narrowly edged out Hawk Connor MacDonald, Soligo gets the nod for his consistency across the season, playing multiple roles for Matthew Nicks in his debut year.
His performance against Collingwood was no different, amassing 17 disposals, 8 tackles, 314 metres gained, 5 inside 50s and 10 contested possessions.
Midfield
Disposals
Tackles
Clearances
With the likes of MacDonald and the now-replaced Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera pushing for a place in the top six, Soligo will need to have another strong outing this weekend when the Crows clash with Sydney at the SCG on Saturday.
