Glenn McFarlane nominates top 10 AFL rising star prospects in 2014

GLENN McFarlane nominates his top 10 AFL Rising Star prospects for this season. And Collingwood features prominently. VOTE AND HAVE YOUR SAY

AFL Round 11. St Kilda vs Collingwood at Etihad Stadium. Tom Langdon. Pic: Michael Klein. Friday May 29, 2014.

IT’S almost 21 years since Nathan Buckley, then a Brisbane Bears player, won the inaugural Rising Star, and half way through this year’s crop of hopefuls, it looks like being one of the closest contests on record.

Normally at this stage of the season, there are less than a handful of players who have already monopolised the market in terms of the Rising Star Award.

WHO IS YOUR TIP TO WIN THE AFL RISING STAR AWARD? SCROLL DOWN TO VOTE

This year, it is a wide open field, with plenty of potential winners among the 12 nominated players so far.

Even more noteworthy is that some of the others yet to receive the weekly tap on the back from AFLHQ are still considered a chance to poll well, including the likes of Brodie Grundy, Harry Cunningham, Troy Menzel and even Jack Martin, who has only played one game due to injury.

Here’s how this column sees the award going right now — at the halfway point of the season ...

1. Tom Langdon (Collingwood)

Has confidently slotted into the Magpies’ back half with the assured presence of an experienced campaigner. The No. 65 draft pick, who was overlooked by all clubs in a previous draft, has been one of the main reasons for Collingwood’s strong start to the season. A superb intercept player, Langdon has taken more marks than any other Magpie player so far this year and has even surprised insiders with his sure hands and cool head.

Langdon has taken more marks than any other Collingwood player this season.

2. Kade Kolodjashnij (Gold Coast)

Last year’s No. 5 draft pick has more than justified his lofty rating with a strong start to his debut year. Kolodjashnij must now be rated as a chance for the Suns to win back-to-back Rising Stars, following on from Jaeger O’Meara. He uses the ball brilliantly and has already slotted perfectly into the Suns’ impressive line-up.

3. Luke Dunstan (St Kilda)

If the Saints wanted a prototype for the future, Luke Dunstan happens to be it. Hard at the ball, hard at the contest and more than capable of winning the ball both on the inside and the outside, Dunstan has been a shining light for the Saints in his first season. The former SA under 18’s captain has a massive future ahead of him and will work in tandem for a decade or more with the classy Jack Billings.

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4. Joe Daniher (Essendon)

Any time you can get a 201cm key position player come into your system and do what Joe Daniher has done so far, it is a massive bonus. Daniher was this week’s nomination off the back of a strong display against the Giants, but all season he has shown glimpses of what looks like being a very bright future. Resembles a young Paul Salmon and gets bonus points for holding down a key forward post.

Essendon's Joe Daniher is the latest Rising Star nominee. Picture: Toby Zerna

5. James Aish (Brisbane)

This bloke just oozes class and the Lions could barely believe their luck that they were able to claim him at pick 7 in last year’s national draft. Has got plenty of the ball so far — almost 200 touches — and just keeps getting better. A future star who never wastes the ball.

6. Josh Kelly (Greater Western Sydney)

Has shown enough in his seven games so far that would have Giants fans salivating. Turned it on with a great two-goal effort against Melbourne in Round 3, but Demons fans are still happy enough with Dom Tyson, who was swapped for the pick 2 that the Giants used on Kelly. Classy and will keep getting better as a footballer.

7. Jarman Impey (Port Adelaide)

How many shutdown players have won Rising Stars? It just doesn’t happen, yet Impey deserves to be among this list after a great start to his AFL career. Impey won his weekly nomination off the back of his blanket job on dangerous Docker Hayden Ballantyne. He has also played on the likes of Eddie Betts and Jeff Garlett.

North’s Luke McDonald has been a key cog in his team’s defence. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

8. Luke McDonald (North Melbourne)

The Kangaroos have long waited for Luke McDonald to come through and he has not let the fans down. A solid start to his first year was highlighted by a great role on Swan Ryan O’Keefe in Round 3.

9. Zach Merrett (Essendon)

Merrett has given the Bombers exactly what they have needed — speed and skills which look likely to make him a long-term player for the Bombers. Has got a fair way to go, but just seems to have an uncanny sense of where the ball is and what he needs to do when he gets it. Great decision-maker on the field.

10. Lewis Taylor (Brisbane)

Has been a shining light in what has been a tough year for the Lions. Taylor, a former Geelong Falcons, has walked in almost as a ready-made player and looks set for a strong career with the Lions. Justin Leppitsch must be delighted he has Aish and Taylor in his plans for the future.

NOT YET NOMINATED, YET STILL A CHANCE

Brodie Grundy (Collingwood)

The best young ruckman in the land who surely will get his 2014 nomination after winning a late nomination last season.

Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy hasn’t been nominated for the Rising Star yet. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Troy Menzel (Carlton)

Showing great promise for the Blues in his second season and surely we would be talking about him as the match-winner if he had won the free kick denied to him in the dying moments of last week’s game against Geelong.

Harry Cunningham (Sydney)

Has taken his finals experience from last year and turned it into a strong start to 2014. Has played every game in one of the teams considered key premiership contenders and has the right goal sense and speed to be a serious player in the future.

Jack Martin (Gold Coast)

His former teammate Campbell Brown thought he was a certainty to win this award before he was cruelly robbed of the first half of the season with a shoulder injury. He’s ready to resume and a big back end of the season might see him poll a few votes.