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.Â
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
5Sam Lalor (-1)
The No.1 pick's difficult debut campaign continued on Saturday, with Lalor subbed out in the opening stages of the clash against the Cats with another hamstring injury.
The teenage Tiger only just returned from a long lay-off with the same injury, placing the rest of his season in doubt.
Lalor has enough runs on the board from a bright start in the yellow and black to remain in the mix; however, he'll soon fall further if the form of others continues.
Midfielder
Disposals
Tackles
Clearances
With our Rookie Rankings expanding to eight spots next week, Lalor is likely to be around for the rest of the season.
