AFL Rising Stars: Top debuts from round 1 ranked
The Rising Star selectors faced a thankless task this week after so many dazzling debuts. We rank the best and find Josh Rachele might be the unluckiest debutant in history.
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Fifteen players were picked to make their AFL debuts in round 1 over the weekend and many dazzled.
But it was Essendon’s Nic Martin who was named as the first NAB AFL Rising Star nominee of the season.
Overlooked in the AFL draft for three consecutive years, Martin was still searching last month for a spot on an AFL list after being invited to train with Essendon.
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“I love my journey and what it’s taken me to get to this situation,” Martin said.
“It’s not only made me the person I am today but the footballer as well. Those setbacks were a bit heartbreaking but in hindsight it’s all worked out.
Chris Cavanagh has ranked the top-six weekend debuts.
Has he got it right? Have your say.
1. Josh Rachele (Adelaide)
14 disposals, 5 marks, 8 score involvements, 5 goals, 118 ranking points
One AFL recruiter likened Josh Rachele to Greater Western Sydney star Toby Green last year, as a matchwinner that competes hard and has no shortage of weapons. On Sunday, Rachele showed those comparisons were justified as he almost got the Crows across the line with a three-goal second half. Rachele did it all, snapping goals from difficult angles, using his speed to catch out opponents and making the most of his set shots. A one-time member of the Australian under-17 soccer squad, Crows fans would be licking their lips as what Rachele could deliver on the football field in coming years.
2. Nic Martin (Essendon)
27 disposals, 10 marks, 8 score involvements, 5 goals, 114 ranking points
As Bombers coach Ben Rutten said, Martin did not “have too many mates” as he played a lone hand on debut during a disappointing performance for his new club. The forward was forced to work hard up the ground for many of his touches and got back into space to find the goals when Essendon did win the ball back. Martin missed out on a list spot at West Coast last year after training with the Eagles over summer but caught the eye of Essendon recruiters after a good campaign in the WAFL. He went on to train with the Bombers during pre-season and won a rookie list spot less than a month before Saturday’s Round 1 match.
3. Jack Hayes (St Kilda)
18 disposals, 10 marks, 8 score involvements, 3 goals, 128 ranking points
As one prominent football figure put it — how did every other AFL club overlook Hayes when he is capable of doing what he did in Round 1? He debuted at age 26 for the Saints after making a successful SANFL career for himself over recent years while working as a concreter. Hayes signed with St Kilda through the pre-season Supplemental Selection Period only 17 days before the start of the season, making his performance all the more remarkable.
4. Nick Daicos (Collingwood)
27 disposals, 5 marks, 3 score involvements, 419 metres gained, 98 ranking points
The son of a gun, Daicos started his career with a bang and eclipsed his famous father Peter’s 26-disposal debut with 27 touches of his own. Peter proudly watched on from the stands at Marvel Stadium as Nick accumulated the ball at will across halfback and through the midfield, proving why he was one of the standout players in last year’s draft pool.
5. Jason Horne-Francis (North Melbourne)
13 disposals, 3 marks, 6 score involvements, 1 goal, 75 ranking points
The No. 1 draft pick did not have his biggest game after a blistering summer, but did give North Melbourne fans a glimpse of what he is capable of. Playing mostly in attack, Horne-Francis recorded five score involvements from six disposals in the first quarter alone. He missed a set shot in the opening term but snapped a lovely goal out of congestion from the left forward pocket in the second quarter.
6. Josh Gibcus (Richmond)
10 disposals, 5 marks, 5 spoils, 3 intercept possessions, 56 ranking points
The Tigers’ first pick in last year’s draft spent most of his debut match playing on dangerous Carlton forward Charlie Curnow. Gibcus did not do too much wrong and looked quite composed out on the ground. Curnow was held to two marks and went goalless on the night.
THE OTHER ROUND 1 DEBUTS
Josh Ward (Hawthorn) – There was plenty of excitement around Ward during pre-season and his debut was solid as he had 13 disposals from limited game time through the midfield.
Mitch Owens (St Kilda) – The St Kilda Next Generation Academy graduate managed six disposals from limited game time against Collingwood.
Nasaiah Wanganeen-Milera (St Kilda) – Selected as a medical substitute, the 19-year-old did not get on the field in the Saints’ loss to Collingwood.
Kaine Baldwin (Essendon) – The key forward had limited opportunities as the Bombers midfield was smashed by Geelong, finishing with seven disposals and three marks.
Angus Sheldrick (Sydney) – A little bit of a surprise selection at pick 18 in last year’s draft, Sheldrick played forward and logged eight disposals and five score involvements.
Jackson Mead (Port Adelaide) – The Power’s second-ever father-son to play at AFL level, Mead made a solid start with 10 disposals and three score involvements against the Lions.
Connor Macdonald (Hawthorn) – Selected at pick 26 in last year’s draft, MacDonald had 16 disposals and five score involvements in his first outing.
Jake Soligo (Adelaide) – The midfielder had five touches and three score involvements in the Crows’ narrow loss to Fremantle.
Brady Hough (West Coast) – Taken at pick 31 in last year’s draft, the Peel Thunder product had 10 disposals through the midfield in the Eagles’ loss to Gold Coast.
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