Round 2 of the AFL season has led to several changes to our Rookie Rankings as we work through the early weeks of the new campaign, with a new leader and a fresh face among our top five after the weekend's results.
A Lions young gun has taken a Tiger's early lead, while a Demons winger has joined them on the podium.
A Swans draftee has taken a fellow mature-ager's spot in fifth to round out our Rookie Rankings after Round 2, while there were four honourable mentions from the eight games.
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, Daniel 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.
Round 1 Honourable Mentions:
Christian Moraes (Port Adelaide) - 17 disposals, six marks, 94% disposal efficiency
Will McLachlan (Brisbane) - Two goals, eight disposals, four contested possessions
Jack Henderson (Melbourne) - 13 disposals, five tackles, one goal
Tom Edwards (Essendon) - Eight disposals, three tackles, three goals
5. Riley Bice (NEW)
The Swans draftee had his first full game in the red and white on Sunday, starting as the sub in his debut outing against the Lions last weekend.
Bice looks to have comfortably slotted into a defensive role under Dean Cox, with his attacking avenues a highlight of both of his performances to date.
The Werribee product was among Sydney's best in their thrilling three-point win over Fremantle, booting a memorable first career goal after running up the wing and kicking truly on the run.
Bice also had a pair of crucial kicks to set the Swans' ball movement up through the corridor, with the mature-aged recruit looking settled into his role already.
The Swans will have their early season bye this weekend before an enticing matchup with North Melbourne in Round 4.
