Our Rookie Rankings after Round 17 has undergone extensive change, with six of the top seven spots moving due to the weekend's events.
A Roos youngster has moved up two places in his return from injury, while a Demon's day out has him slotting into second spot.
The seventh rung in our rankings has again found a new name, with a young Bulldog breaking through for the first time this year.
There were some big performances from a plethora of rookies currently not in our top seven, with all of Shaun Mannagh, Nate Caddy, Koltyn Tholstrup and Darcy Jones earning nods after a strong weekend from a large group of eligible rookies.
Selection Criteria: For our Rookie Rankings, we are ONLY 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 before the 2024 season will not be considered. I.e. Rising Star eligible players such as George Wardlaw, Angus Sheldrick and Sam Darcy are ineligible, having already played an AFL match before Round 1, 2024.Â
Honourable Mentions:
Shaun Mannagh (Geelong)
Nate Caddy (Essendon)
Koltyn Tholstrup (Melbourne)
Darcy Jones (GWS)
2. Caleb Windsor (+1)
The best performance we've seen yet from the Demons speedster, who amassed 27 disposals, seven marks, five tackles, four clearances, 10 contested possessions and a goal in Sunday's win.
With almost 500 metres gained to his name, Windsor was a constant threat against the Eagles on the outskirts of the engine room as he and defender Trent Rivers continued to cause havoc in the middle third.
It was a great display from both of the Demons' two first-roun draft selections from their 2023 intake, with Koltyn Tholstrup earning an honourable mention for his two-goal game.
Midfield
Disposals
Tackles
Clearances
Melbourne returns to the MCG this Saturday to host Essendon for what shapes as a blockbuster affair between the two sides.
