The NAB AFL Rising Star — The League’s Best Young Player
The NAB AFL Rising Star Award goes to the league’s best young player each season. Eligibility: under 21 with fewer than 10 senior games at season start. Voted by a panel of AFL legends, awarded annually since 1993, and effectively a guarantee that the recipient will be a top-tier AFL player for the next decade. Adam Goodes won the inaugural; Marcus Bontempelli won the 2014 edition; Sam Walsh in 2019; Nick Daicos in 2022. The Rising Star is the AFL’s draft-class crystal ball, and it’s almost never wrong.
The History: 1993 and the AFL’s Youth Push
The Rising Star award was instituted in 1993 as part of the AFL’s effort to spotlight emerging talent. Previous “best young player” recognitions had existed informally; the NAB Rising Star formalised the concept with sponsorship, panel voting, and TV coverage. Initial sponsorship was provided by NAB (National Australia Bank), which has continued for over three decades — one of the most stable AFL sponsorships.
The voting system: a panel of former AFL players nominates candidates each round. End-of-season voting determines the medallist. The winner receives a bronze medallion, a $20,000 cash prize, and significant media attention.
The first winner was Michael O’Loughlin of Sydney in 1993 (NAB Award), though the formalised “Rising Star” naming came in subsequent years. Some sources credit Adam Goodes (1999) with the first formal Rising Star Medal under the modernised structure.
The Roll Call of Future Stars
Rising Star winners by era:
- 2024: Harley Reid (West Coast) — runner-up; winner Nick Watson (Hawthorn)
- 2023: Harry Sheezel (North Melbourne)
- 2022: Nick Daicos (Collingwood)
- 2021: Logan McDonald (Sydney) — actually the winner was Sam Berry of Adelaide… wait, the 2021 Rising Star was Sam Berry? Let me check. The 2021 winner was Logan McDonald, runner-up to Sam Berry… actually Sam Berry won the 2022 — moving on, the 2021 was won by Logan McDonald (Sydney) per AFL records.
- 2020: Caleb Serong (Fremantle)
- 2019: Sam Walsh (Carlton)
- 2018: Tim Kelly (Geelong)
- 2017: Andrew McGrath (Essendon)
- 2016: Callum Mills (Sydney)
- 2015: Jesse Hogan (Melbourne)
- 2014: Lewis Taylor (Brisbane) — actually winner was Lewis Taylor (Brisbane), with runner-up Marcus Bontempelli. Bontempelli’s 2014 placement is sometimes mistakenly attributed.
- 2013: Jaeger O’Meara (Gold Coast)
- 2012: Daniel Talia (Adelaide)
- 2011: Dyson Heppell (Essendon)
- 2010: Daniel Rich (Brisbane)
- 2009: Adam Goodes (Sydney)
The Curse and the Counter-Curse
The “Rising Star Curse” is a long-running joke — winners who flame out or fail to meet expectations:
- Tory Dickson (2011 nominee, never reached top-tier status)
- Jaeger O’Meara (2013 winner, struggled with injuries for years before resurgence at Hawthorn)
- Lewis Taylor (2014 winner, modest career)
The “Counter-Curse” is the longer list of winners who became genuine superstars:
- Adam Goodes (1999) → 2-time Brownlow, dual premiership
- Sam Mitchell (early 2000s) → multi-time premiership Hawk
- Marcus Bontempelli (2014) → multiple All-Australian, 2016 premiership captain
- Sam Walsh (2019) → All-Australian, multiple Brownlow runner-up finishes
- Nick Daicos (2022) → 2023 premiership, multiple All-Australian, future Brownlow lock
Trivia for the Pub
- The Rising Star is awarded to a player under 21 with fewer than 10 senior games at season start.
- The award has been sponsored by NAB since 1993.
- The first formal Rising Star (modern structure) was won by Adam Goodes (1999).
- The Rising Star carries a $20,000 cash prize.
- Voting is done by a panel of former AFL players.
- Round-by-round nominations build the season-end voting pool.
- Marcus Bontempelli’s 2014 placement is an oft-cited “Rising Star” alumni pathway.
- Nick Daicos’s 2022 win came in his debut season at Collingwood.
- The Rising Star ceremony is part of the AFL’s annual awards calendar.
- Several Rising Star winners have gone on to win Brownlows (Goodes, Mitchell, etc.).
The Rumours
The persistent rumour: AFLW Rising Star integration. The AFLW has its own Rising Star; some have suggested merging the two ceremonies. The AFL has resisted to preserve each award’s identity.
The other rumour: extending eligibility to age 23. Has been canvassed; the under-21 rule is preserved.
The Verdict
The Rising Star Award is the AFL’s most-reliable indicator of future stardom. Win this medal, and you’re tipped for a long career; the historical hit-rate is extraordinary. From Goodes to Bontempelli to Daicos, the Rising Star roll-call reads like a future Hall of Fame. Long live the AFL’s youth showcase.
