The Rookie Rankings after Round 18 have seen two more youngsters break into the top six, replacing Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Massimo D'Ambrosio at fifth and sixth.
A young Hawk put in arguably the best performance of the weekend, while his teammate narrowly misses out on a spot in our Rankings, with the pair both earning honourable mentions for their parts in Hawthorn's win over the Eagles.
A young Roo breaks into the top six and jumps into fifth, while out top two further extend their placing at the top.
Criteria: For our Rookie Rankings, we are selecting 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 prior to the 2022 season will not be considered.
I.e. players likeย Jai Newcombe,ย Jake Bowey,ย Corey Durdinย andย Sam De Koningย are ineligible.
VIEW: ROUND 17 RANKINGS
Round 18 Honourable Mentions
Josh Ward (Hawthorn)
34 disposals, 7 marks, 5 tackles, 6 clearances
A dominant performance for the young Hawk who has worked himself back from a concussion scare.
Josh Carmichael (Collingwood)
24 disposals, 8 tackles, 448 metres gained, 1 goal
Was among the Magpies' best ball winners in the engine room. 24 touches, all kicks.
Noah Cumberland (Richmond)
3 goals, 14 disposals, 4 marks, 4 tackles
A key part in Richmond's avenue to goal, booting a team-high three majors.
Connor MacDonald (Hawthorn)
13 disposals, 7 tackles, 5 marks, 2 goals
Another strong performance for the first-year Hawk. Narrowly misses a top six spot.
1. Nick Daicos (-)
Call the race off. Nick Daicos is your 2022 Rising Star.
But the accolades may not end there, with the 19-year-old now firming as a chance to take out an All-Australian selection and even the Copelan Trophy.
40 possessions and 3 goals saw Daicos piece together his best performance yet, standing up at the death to lead the Magpies over the Crows in a gutsy win.
The performance now sees Daicos somehow further strengthen his place atop our rankings, with an incomprehensible finish to the year needed to see the young Collingwood star fall from the summit.
Defender
Marks
Disposals
Goals
Daicos and the Magpies will clash with cross-town rivals Essendon on Sunday, with the teenager hoping to back up his strong ANZAC Day performance from earlier in the year.
