 | |
| Awarded for | The best young player in the Australian Football League |
|---|---|
| Sponsored by | Norwich Union Australia (1993–2000) Ansett Australia (2001) National Australia Bank (2002–2022) |
| Presented by | Australian Football League |
| History | |
| First award | 1993 |
| First winner | Nathan Buckley (1993) |
| Most recent | Harry Sheezel (2023) |
| Website | afl.com.au/rising-star |
The AFL Rising Star is an Australian rules football award presented annually to the player adjudged the best young player in the Australian Football League (AFL) for the year. It was first presented in the 1993 season, and was won by Nathan Buckley, playing for the Brisbane Bears.[1] The recipient of the AFL Rising Star has been awarded the Ron Evans Medal since 2007, named in honour of the former AFL Commission chairman following his death that year.[1]
The award was sponsored by Norwich Union Australia from its inception in 1993 until 2000.[2] The AFL then secured a six-year sponsorship deal with Ansett Australia in 2001 that included the Rising Star award;[2] however, this agreement only lasted the one season following the collapse of Ansett in September 2001.[3] National Australia Bank sponsored the award for two decades from 2002 to 2022, marking the longest commercial partnership in the award's history;[4][5] they were not replaced by any sponsor for the 2023 edition.[6] An equivalent award has existed in the AFL Women's league since its inception in 2017.[7]
The clubs with the most AFL Rising Star awards are Fremantle, Melbourne and Sydney, with three awards won by players representing these teams. Greater Western Sydney's eight nominations in the 2012 season is the most any club has achieved in a season.[8] The most recent recipient of the award is North Melbourne's Harry Sheezel, winning in 2023.[9]
- ^ a b "NAB AFL Rising Star - History". AFL.com.au. Telstra. Archived from the original on 25 March 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
- ^ a b Niall, Jake (31 March 2001). "AFL tips doubling of sponsor income". The Age. Melbourne: Fairfax Media. p. 20.
- ^ Lyon, Karen; Denham, Greg (15 September 2001). "Airline crisis hits finals and sponsor deals". The Age. Melbourne: Fairfax Media. p. 22.
- ^ Wilson, Caroline (3 August 2002). "AFL banks on rising star millions to plug the sponsorship hole". The Age. Melbourne: Fairfax Media. p. 18.
- ^ "NAB Rising Star program launched". aflnswact.com.au. AFL NSW/ACT. 13 March 2014. Archived from the original on 25 April 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
- ^ "Eligible players for the 2023 AFL Rising Star Award and All-Australian Selection Panel announced". AFL.com.au. 14 March 2023. Archived from the original on 11 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
- ^ Black, Sarah (28 March 2017). "Crows teenager Ebony Marinoff named AFLW Rising Star". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
- ^ "Carlton aiming for Rising Star history". Triple M. Southern Cross Austereo. 21 June 2017. Archived from the original on 3 February 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
- ^ "North Melbourne's Harry Sheezel crowned the 2023 AFL Rising Star". AFL.com.au. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 5 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.