AFL Rising Star 2021: The young stars are vying for Round 23 nomination

Luke Jackson is the frontrunner for the Rising Star award but some big names still haven’t been nominated. Here are the seven young guns who could rocket into the mix.

Melbourne’s Luke Jackson is the firm 2021 AFL Rising Star favourite. Picture: Getty Images

With one round remaining, the NAB AFL Rising Star race appears down to one contender.

Melbourne ruckman-forward Luke Jackson looks to have one hand on the medal after continuing his rapid rise with a blistering back end of the year.

Jackson has overtaken Greater Western Sydney onballer Tom Green to sit as a $1.15 favourite for the award with bookmaker TAB.

In his past three games, the 199cm Demons big man has averaged 18 disposals, 3.7 marks, 12.7 hit-outs, 6.7 score involvements, 111 KFC SuperCoach ranking points and kicked six goals.

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Melbourne’s Luke Jackson is the 2021 NAB AFL Rising Star favourite. Picture: Michael Klein

Jackson, who has played all but one game this year, is averaging 13.3 disposals, 10.4 hit-outs and 73 ranking points across what is his second season at AFL level this year.

The No. 3 pick in the 2019 national draft head featured in six games on debut in 2020.

Asked on Monday if Jackson would win the Rising Star award this year, Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said, “I think he’d have to be pretty close”.

“He’s had an unbelievable season,” Goodwin said on Fox Footy’s AFL360.

“You just don’t see 19-year-old’s the size he is having the impact that he has on games. It’s very rare in our game to see a guy at that age and that size come in and have an impact and he’s been able to do that for the whole year.”

Jackson is one of four Rising Star nominees from Melbourne this year in a big tick for the club’s recruiting department, led by Jason Taylor.

Jackson was the Round 7 nominee and has been followed by teammates James Jordon (Round 8), Trent Rivers (Round 11) and Jake Bowey (Round 22).

Jackson and fellow 2019 draftee Kysaiah Pickett were also nominees for the award last year.

WHO’S LEFT ON THE TABLE?

With one round to go, there is still one Rising Star nomination to come.

Here are seven young stars who have been overlooked so far but could put themselves in the mix with a big performance.

Will Phillips (North Melbourne)

15 games, Ave. 42 KFC SuperCoach points

The Kangaroos have been very impressed with how last year’s No. 3 draft pick has been developing. Phillips has been used as medical substitute on multiple occasions and has played limited game time across his 15 matches. However, he is clearly a talented player with good football smarts and is having an increasing impact on matches and had one of his best matches of the season against Sydney in Round 22.

Will Phillips is finding his feet at AFL level. Picture: Michael Klein

Matt Rowell (Gold Coast Suns)

11 games, Ave. 62 KFC SuperCoach points

The No. 1 draft pick in 2019, Rowell was a clear Rising Star favourite in the early rounds last season as he dominated his first four AFL games before being struck down by a season-ending shoulder injury. That meant he played only five games for the season, rendering Rowell eligible for the Rising Star again in 2021. However, the Suns midfielder suffered a bad knee injury in Round 1 which sidelined him for 10 games. He has played the past 10 games, but hasn’t had quite been the same player, outside of a couple of strong performances. Rowell hasn’t lost his ability to win a clearance, though.

Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (Western Bulldogs)

5 games, Ave. 47 KFC SuperCoach points

Last year’s No. 1 draft pick, Ugle-Hagan made his debut in only Round 17 after fitness, form and injury issues across the first half of the season. The forward, who has been likened to Sydney superstar Lance Franklin, had a quiet debut but kicked three goals in his second game and retained his spot. Ugle-Hagan was rested for last week’s loss to Hawthorn, but if he returns and has a strong game in Round 23 he could earn a nomination. If he doesn’t, he will be eligible to win the Rising Star again next year anyway.

Jamarra Ugle-Hagan’s debut was worth the wait.

Trent Bianco (Collingwood)

11 games, Ave. 49 KFC SuperCoach points

Selected at pick 45 in the 2019 draft, the Magpies forward debuted in only Round 11 this season but has not missed a game since. Bianco is averaging 11.8 disposals this season as well as 4.4 marks and he has kicked seven goals.

Josh Treacy (Fremantle)

14 games, Ave. 45 KFC SuperCoach points

An emerging key forward, Treacy has become known as ‘The Big Cohuna’, in reference to hometown of Cohuna in northern Victoria. A rookie draft selection last December, the 193cm big man made his debut in Round 4 and has progressively improved as the year has gone on. Treacy has kicked 12 goals this season, including a season-high haul of three majors against the Western Bulldogs in Round 12.

Carlton’s Liam Stocker has been solid in defence this season. Picture: Getty Images

Liam Stocker (Carlton)

16 games, Ave. 57 KFC SuperCoach points

A pick No. 19 in the 2018 national draft, Stocker was drafted as a midfielder but has morphed into a new role as a defender this year. The 21-year-old has had some big jobs on opposition small forwards this season and has generally been solid while also still winning a bit of his own ball. He is averaging 13.4 disposals, 3.4 marks and 279 metres gained.

Ryan Byrnes (St Kilda)

15 games, Ave. 55 KFC SuperCoach points

A midfielder-forward, Byrnes was a lowly pick 52 in the 2019 national draft and played only one game on debut in 2020 but has stepped up nicely this season. He came into the Saints side in Round 7 and has played every game since, averaging 16 disposals, 4.8 marks and 214 metres gained.

TAB Rising Star Odds after Round 1

$3 Errol Gulden (Syd)

$5 Braeden Campbell (Syd)

$7 Logan McDonald (Syd)

$9 Matt Rowell (GC)

$9 Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (WB)

$9 Tom Green (GWS)

$11 Tom Powell (NM)

$11 Hayden Young (Fre)

$13 Will Phillips (NM)

$13 Lachlan Sholl (Ade)

$15 Riley Thilthorpe (Ade)

$17 Elijah Hollands (GC)

$21 Luke Jackson (Mel)

TAB Rising Star Odds after Round 22

$1.15 Luke Jackson (Mel)

$5 Tom Green (GWS)

$21 Mitch Georgiades (PA)

$21 Justin McInerney (Syd)

$26 James Jordon (Mel)

$34 Errol Gulden (Syd)

$51 Nik Cox (Ess)

$51 Cody Weightman (WB)

$51 Archie Perkins (Ess)

2021 AFL NAB Rising Star Nominations

R1 — Errol Gulden (Syd)

R2 — Braeden Campbell (Syd)

R3 — Chad Warner (Syd)

R4 — Lachlan Sholl (Ade)

R5 — Mitch Georgiades (PA)

R6 — Jacob Koschitzke (Haw)

R7 — Luke Jackson (Mel)

R8 — James Jordon (Mel)

R9 — Tom Green (GWS)

R10 — Cody Weightman (WB)

R11 — Trent Rivers (Mel)

R12 — Nikolas Cox (Ess)

R13 — Riley Thilthorpe (Ade)

R14 — Harrison Jones (Ess)

R15 — Deven Robertson (Bris)

R16 — Justin McInerney (Syd)

R17 — Archie Perkins (Ess)

R18 — Jeremy Sharp (GC)

R19 — Harry Schoenberg (Ade)

R20 — Hayden Young (Fre)

R21 — Miles Bergman (PA)

R22 — Jake Bowey (Mel)

Originally published as AFL Rising Star 2021: The young stars are vying for Round 23 nomination