AFL Rising Star 2019: Sam Walsh named best young gun of season
The AFL No. 1 draft pick has claimed the crown of the league’s best young player with a near perfect score in an incredible first.
AFL
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Nine months after arriving at Carlton as a No. 1 draft pick and a “ready-made” footballer, Sam Walsh has been crowned the AFL’s Rising Star.
Despite not receiving maximum votes — as many expected he would — from the 11-judge panel, Walsh on Friday won the battle for the season’s best young gun comfortably to become Carlton’s first ever male Rising Star winner.
Walsh polled 54 of a possible 55 votes — the most ever in a Rising Star count, eclipsing Jaidyn Stephenson’s 52 last year — to pip Port Adelaide’s Connor Rozee (42) and Richmond’s Sydney Stack (28).
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE FINAL LEADERBOARD
Bulldog Bailey Smith (21) and Cat Gryan Miers (5) rounded out the top five.
Former Bulldogs ruckman Luke Darcy was the only one of the 11 judges that didn’t give Walsh maximum votes, instead awarding five to Rozee.
However Rozee only received one vote from triple premiership Lion Chris Johnson.
The supremely gifted 19-year-old played all 22 games for the Blues, averaging 25 disposals, five marks and three inside-50s.
Walsh became just the fourth No. 1 draft pick to win the Rising Star award, following in the footsteps of Andrew McGrath (2017), Brett Deledio (2005) and Nick Riewoldt (2002).
“To represent the Blues and the history of the club is quite amazing,” he said at Friday’s announcement in Melbourne.
“My goal was to do the best for myself and earn the respect of my teammates and that’s what’s landed me here.”
A smooth-moving midfielder capable of winning his own ball, Walsh also took out the AFL Players’ Association best first-year player award on Thursday. The supremely gifted 19-year-old played all 22 games for the Blues and broke the record for most disposals in a season for a first-year player.
Carlton coach David Teague said Walsh has been a consummate professional since the moment he arrived as a “ready-made player” at Ikon Park last November.
“Very few players play every match in their first season and fewer still consistently excite and deliver like he has,” Teague said.
“From the day he arrived at Carlton it was clear in the way he trained and prepared that he was going to be able to compete at the AFL level.
“I think that being a natural listener, a driven competitor and humble, he arrived at Carlton determined to learn. Which is why I am confident that we will see so much more from him in the years to come.”
2019 AFL RISING STAR LEADERBOARD
1. Sam Walsh (Carlton) — 54 votes
2. Connor Rozee (Port Adelaide) — 42
3. Sydney Stack (Richmond) — 28
4. Bailey Smith (Western Bulldogs) — 21
5. Gryan Miers (Geelong) — 5
6. Jordan Clark (Geelong) — 5
7. Cameron Zurhaar (North Melbourne) — 4
8. Nick Blakey (North Melbourne) — 3
9. Liam Baker (Richmond) — 2
=10. Oscar Allen (West Coast Eagles) and Xavier Duursma (Port Adelaide) — 1
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