A second Carlton player has moved into our Rookie Rankings after eight rounds, with a young Demon making way after three weeks among the top seven.
The newest arrival has seen a shift between fifth, sixth and seventh, while the top four remains the same from Round 7 after a strong weekend of form for our best-rated rookies.
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 2023 season will not be considered.
I.e. Rising Star eligible players such as Sam Darcy,ย Finn Callaghanย andย Jye Amissย are ineligible, having already played anย AFL match prior to Round 1, 2023.ย
Round 8 Honourable Mentions
Bailey Humphrey (Gold Coast)
Arthur Jones (Western Bulldogs)
Blake Drury (North Melbourne)
7. Mattaes Phillipou (-1)
It was certainly an exciting performance for the young Saint, who almost kicked a nice goal on the run from distance before plucking a high-flying mark to show off his aerial capabilities.
Phillipou slides one spot from sixth after Round 8 but is right within the chasing pack outside of the top three, with his efforts against the Roos keeping him among the top seven for another week.
The South Australian posted 13 possessions, six marks, four tackles and had five score involvements in the win over North Melbourne.
Forward
Marks
Tackles
Disposals
The Saints, and Phillipou, will be presented with a tougher battle in Round 9 when they travel to SA to face Adelaide on Sunday.
