Two contenders have re-emerged in this week's Rookie Rankings as the race for the top spot heats up.
A young Docker has held his spot for another week, while a Lions midfielder has eclipsed his Bulldogs draft class counterpart to knock on the door of the top position.
Port Adelaide's Christian Moraes and Melbourne's Xavier Lindsay have both exited the top five standings after outstanding performances from two rookies see them rise back into contention.
Richmond's Luke Trainor and Harry Armstrong are honourable mentions this week, as are West Coast's Tom Gross and Archer Reid.
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, Dan 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 4 Honourable Mentions:
Luke Trainor: 19 disposals, four marks, four intercept possessions
Harry Armstrong: Two goals, 11 disposals, seven score involvements
Tom Gross: One goal, 17 disposals, seven score involvements
Archer Reid: One goal, 10 disposals, six contested possessions
4. Sam Lalor (NEW)
After a strong display against the reigning premier, we welcome back the number one draft pick into our top five.
Lalor was prolific again at the MCG, recording 24 disposals and snagging two goals in a competitive effort from the Tigers.
It seemed every time Lalor had possession close to Richmond's forward arc that a scoring opportunity would present itself, as the young star tallied a game-high 10 score involvements and three inside 50s.
Another similar performance in Round 5 could see Lalor bolt back up to a higher position in the rankings as Richmond take on Fremantle in Gather Round this weekend.
