Andrew McGrath, Ryan Burton, Sam Powell-Pepper leading contenders for 2017 Rising Star award
THE 2017 AFL Rising Star Award appears in race in three. Who will join an honour roll including Callum Mills, Joel Selwood and Nathan Buckley? See our experts’ take and have your say.
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CARLTON is crowing about its record number of Rising Star nominations, but the party might end when the award is presented.
Of the Blues’ remarkable five nominees (Caleb Marchbank, Sam Petrevski-Seton, David Cuningham, Jack Silvagni and Charlie Curnow), Curnow is rated the best chance to win it by the bookies at $23.
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This year’s award appears a race in three between Hawk Ryan Burton, Bomber Andrew McGrath and Port Adelaide tyro Sam Powell-Pepper.
Burton has played an occasionally matchwinning role for a team in fast-forward rebuild mode, McGrath has coolly patrolled half-back all year and Powell-Pepper has caught the eye with bursts of powerful brilliance.
So how do you split them? Some of the Herald Sun’s footy experts give their verdict below — read their assessment then cast your vote.
MARK ROBINSON
1. Sam Powell-Pepper
2. Ryan Burton
3. Andrew McGrath.
The bull of Port Adelaide is putting up better numbers than Joel Selwood in certain aspects of the game and looms as a huge contributor over the coming years. How far can he go? He could be headed for Dusty Martin territory ... yes, he’s that good.
SAM LANDSBERGER
1. Ryan Burton
2. Andy McGrath
3. Sam Powell-Pepper
The AFL’s criteria is clear — the Rising Star is adjudicated on output and not potential. For me, that’s Burton. If it were judged on potential, Brisbane Lion Eric Hipwood would be close to favourite. Burton’s impact on a struggling Hawthorn outfit has belied his age. He looks so natural with the ball, moving a little bit like Scott Pendlebury, and has long been a special talent.
The pair of goals he kicked against Adelaide showed Burton loves the big stage and if he didn’t suffer that horrific leg break in 2015 he would’ve been a top-three draft pick. The Hawks drafted Burton with the pick received for Jed Anderson, and supporters must wonder if they would’ve booked a home preliminary final last year if Burton didn’t go down early in the qualifying final. Credit to recruiter Graham Wright and fitness coach Andrew Russell for picking a player tinged with risk and getting it oh, so right.
MICHAEL WARNER
1. Ryan Burton
2. Andrew McGrath
3. Sam Powell-Pepper
Brisbane’s Eric Hipwood is the player you’d take first of all those eligible, but under the current criteria Burton has been the most consistent young gun.
GLENN McFARLANE
1. Ryan Burton (Hawthorn)
2. Sam Powell-Pepper (Port Adelaide)
3. Andrew McGrath (Essendon)
This is a first-class batch of Rising Stars, but Burton’s ability to play on some of the game’s elite players and perform at such a high level in an at-times under siege Hawthorn defence tips the scales in his favour. A star in the making.
GILBERT GARDINER
1. Ryan Burton
2. Sam Powell-Pepper
3. Eric Hipwood
Burton ticks all the boxes: elite skills — in the air and on the ground - and composure beyond his 20 years. Powell-Pepper has played every game in rookie season and ranked in the top five at Port Adelaide for clearances, tackles and contested possessions. Hipwood looks like Rafa, plays like Buddy. Athletic goalkicker who will only benefit when Josh Schache starts playing regular football. On track to equal Buddy with 30-plus goals in just his second season.
TAB ODDS
$1.65 Ryan Burton
$3.75 Andrew McGrath
$4.50 Sam Powell-Pepper
$23 Charlie Curnow
$34 Caleb Marchbank
$41 Tom Phillips
$51 Eric Hipwood, Jason Castagna, Brayden Fiorini
2017 RISING STAR NOMINEES
R1 Sam Powell-Pepper (Port Adelaide)
R2 Ryan Burton (Hawthorn)
R3 Brandan Parfitt (Geelong)
R4 Andrew McGrath (Essendon)
R5 Eric Hipwood (Brisbane Lions)
R6 Caleb Marchbank (Carlton)
R7 Sam Petrevski-Seton (Carlton)
R8 Tim Taranto (GWS)
R9 Tom Phillips (Collingwood)
R10 Wayne Milera (Adelaide)
R11 Dan Butler (Richmond)
R12 David Cuningham (Carlton)
R13 Jack Silvagni (Carlton)
R14 Hugh McCluggage (Brisbane Lions)
R15 Blake Hardwick (Hawthorn)
R16 Charlie Curnow (Carlton)
NOT NOMINATED ... YET
Brayden Fiorini (Gold Coast)
Jason Castagna (Richmond)
Sean Darcy (Fremantle)
Callum Brown (Collingwood)
Griffin Logue (Fremantle)
Jacob Hopper (GWS)
Alex Withderden (Brisbane)
RISING STAR CRITERIA
To be eligible to be nominated for the 2017 Rising Star award, a player must be younger than 21 years of age on January 1 this year and have played 10 or fewer senior games before the beginning of the season. A player who is suspended during the season is not eligible to win the award but is still eligible for nomination.
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