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 2 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
2. Sam Lalor (-1)
After taking an early lead, the reigning No.1 pick has moved to second spot in our Rookie Rankings following the Tigers' heavy loss to Port Adelaide on Saturday.
Lalor still had an impact in the forward half, booting a goal from his 10 disposals and laying four tackles.
He also saw an increase in his midfield minutes, featuring in almost half of the Tigers' centre bounce attendances as he looks to grow his game as a dual position threat.
It was a difficult slog for the young Tigers unit, which will look to bounce back on Saturday when they face the Saints.
