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
1. Levi Ashcroft (+1)
The consistency and combination of Ashcroft's strong debut performance and promising second outing have seen him rise to top spot in our Rookie Rankings after Round 2.
The Lions father-son selection recorded 17 disposals, eight marks, four score involvements, and two intercept possessions as a full-time wingman for Chris Fagan on Sunday in the win over West Coast.
His hard-working efforts and smart ball use were among the positives for Ashcroft in his second game, with his strong runs on the board from Round 1 aiding his move to pole position.
The Lions will be tested again this weekend when they host Geelong at the Gabba, with Ashcroft potentially going up against reigning Rising Star winner Ollie Dempsey.
