Cameron Rayner knocked off Rising Star favouritism by a Brisbane teammate

A BRISBANE Lions young gun will start 2018 as the AFL Rising Star favourite - but it’s not Cameron Rayner - while new Kangaroo Luke Davies-Uniacke is the highest rate draftee

Brisbane Lions young gun Alex Witherden.

A BRISBANE Lions young gun will start 2018 as the AFL Rising Star favourite ... but it’s not Cameron Rayner.

The No.1 draft pick is surprisingly rated a $21 shot by the TAB with new teammate Alex Witherden the early favourite at $5.

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Witherden played nine games for the Lions this year, after overcoming early season injuries, and averaged 23 disposals playing off half-back.

To be eligible a player must be younger than 21 and have played less than 10 games.

Lions young gun Alex Witherden. Picture: Darren England.

Brisbane’s No.1 draft pick Cameron Rayner in Sydney.

After bursting onto the scene, Fremantle big man Sean Darcy is on the second line of betting after eight games in which he averaged 34 hitouts, 12 disposals and 4.5 tackles.

However, Darcy’s place in the Dockers line-up is dependent on Aaron Sandilands’ fitness with Ross Lyon unlikely to play the ruckmen together.

Richmond youngster Jack Graham is third favourite after his stunning end to 2017, which saw him play in a premiership in his fifth game.

RISING STAR 2017

TAB Odds	Player(s)
$5	Alex Witherden (BL)
$7.50	Sean Darcy (Frem)
$8.50	Jack Graham (Rich)
$11	Oliver Florent (Syd), Sam Weideman (Melb), Luke Davies-Uniacke (NM)
$13	Andrew Brayshaw (Frem), Jack Higgins (Rich), Paddy Dow (Carl)
$15	Aaron Francis (Ess), Conor Glass (Haw), Lewis Young (WB), Adam Cerra (Frem)
$21	Will Brodie (GC), Will Setterfield (GWS), Shai Bolton (Rich), Darcy Fogarty (Adel), Cameron Rayner (BL), Jaidyn Stephenson (Coll)
$26	Daniel Venables (WCE), Harley Balic (Melb), Jordan Gallucci (Adel), Kayle Kirby (Coll), Todd Marshall (PtA), Tom Doedee (Adel), Zach Guthrie (Geel), Hunter Clark (StK)

Of the new draftees, North Melbourne’s No.4 pick Luke Davies-Uniacke is the early fancy at $11.

Andrew Brayshaw, Jack Higgins, Paddy Dow and Adam Cerra are all rated above Rayner.

Of the 25 Rising Stars, 16 have been won by first-year players and eight by second-year players while Daniel Talia is the only young gun to win it in his third season.

“The last two winners of the award have been top three selections in the previous year’s draft, so punters could find value in Andrew Brayshaw and Paddy Dow at $13 and Cam Rayner at $21,” TAB’s Nick Quinn said.

Originally published as Cameron Rayner knocked off Rising Star favouritism by a Brisbane teammate