There have been a number of changes to Zero Hanger's Recruit of the Year Power Rankings after Round 2 of the AFL season, with the impact of the off-season trade period apparent for a number of premiership contenders.
One Hawk's performance has seen him leap into the lead, while a Saint has produced another superstar performance in the midfield to assert himself onto the podium.
So, who's making the most impact in their new colours? Welcome to the weekly ranking of the Recruit of the Year contenders for 2025, with Round 2 giving us plenty to consider.
Selection criteria: Only players who were on an AFL playing list at a different club in the prior season will be considered as recruits in these rankings.
7. Matthew Kennedy (NEW)
The Bulldogs lost a lot of talent over the summer, but Matthew Kennedy has quietly emerged as an elite pickup.
Through two games, he's averaging 22 disposals - the most since his career-best 2022 season - and is attending the majority of centre bounces.
The Dogs will surely be loving his effectiveness with ball in hand too, especially considering the quality of his opposition in the midfield through the first two rounds.
Defensively, his intensity has been elite, ranking in the Dogs' best for pressure acts and tackles. With another stacked midfield group awaiting the Western Bulldogs this Friday night, headlined by the Brownlow medallist Patrick Cripps, Kennedy's services will once again need to be at his best when he comes up against his old side.
When Marcus Bontempelli returns, it will be intriguing to see if Kennedy's role changes much, but for now, Kennedy has been much more than a serviceable figure in the middle during 'Bont's absence, and that's really all the Bulldogs can ask for.
