A second-year St Kilda midfielder-forward has continued to soar in our Rookie Rankings, now sitting in fourth after rejoining the top seven last week.
The form of a three-game Eagle has him in our rankings for a maiden appearance, taking the place of Richmond's Luke Trainor.
St Kilda's Alix Tauru now has two honourable mentions in as many games for the Saints, while Geelong debutant George Stevens was quick to catch the eye.
Our Rookie Rankings will extend to a top eight next week for what will be the final added rung for the year.
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
Alix Tauru (St Kilda) - 13 disposals, 4 tackles, 4 marks
George Stevens (Geelong) - 21 disposals, 1 goal, 8 clearances
Isaac Kako (Essendon) - 17 disposals, 5 tackles, 1 goal
7Tom McCarthy (NEW)
The Mid-Season Draft recruit comes into our Rookie Rankings after just three games for West Coast, with the medium-sized defender immediately finding his groove in the top flight.
His debut was one of the best in recent memory, and he backed that up in his second appearance against Collingwood.
Friday's loss to GWS was another strong performance, with McCarthy ending the night with 19 disposals, six marks and 461 metres gained.
He could quickly rise further up our Rookie Rankings if his form continues, with West Coast heading to South Australia to meet with Port Adelaide on Sunday.
