Rising Star
The Rising Star award will be making a comeback (hopefully) this year!
Qualifications for nominations will be the same as the AFL Rising Star, and of course play in the round in ADT. At the end of the season, coaches will vote on who they think is deserving of the award.
Round 1 - Nick Daicos (102)
Round 2 - Josh Ward (85)
Round 3 - Jai Newcombe (90)
Round 4 - Josh Rachele (101)
Round 5 - Jake Bowey (74)
Round 6 - Jason Horne-Francis (67)
Round 7 - Sam Durham (49)
Round 8 - Jack Carroll (55)
Round 9 - Neil Erasmus (57)
Round 10 - Corey Durdin (65)
Round 11 - Heath Chapman (100)
Round 12 - N/A
Round 13 - N/A
Round 14 - Ben Hobbs (29)
Round 15 - Jake Soligo (73)
Round 16 - Brady Hough (43)
Round 17 - Tyler Sonsie (57)
Round 18 - Elijah Hollands (64)
Round 1 - Nick Daicos (El Paso)
Who else? A Fantasy pig in the juniors, Daicos has wasted no time against the big boys, posting up 102 on his debut! Should find himself a steady starter for El Paso for a long time to come.
Round 2 - Josh Ward (Washington)
Another highly touted prospect, Ward racked up the pill to reach 85 points as the Hawks crushed Port Adelaide. Role a bit scratchy right now, but Mitchell's playing the kids and Ward should be a solid contributor as the season rolls on, and in the future.
Round 3 - Jai Newcombe (Hawaii)
One of Sam Mitchell's faves down at Box Hill, the #1 Mid-Season draft pick of 2021 has settled in nicely at the Hawks this year. Has been a solid contributor for Hawaii so far, one of the pockets of youth on an old list. 90 points for him this week, and hopefully there's more of that to come.
Round 4 - Josh Rachele (Springfield)
Rachele takes the gong this week, narrowly beating out JHF with 101 points. The mid-sized rookie has burst onto the scene for Crom kicking his fair share of goals and fantasy points. Based on these first few rounds there's a lot to get excited about with Rachele in the AFL and fantasy as a forward for years to come.
Round 5 - Jake Bowey (Bermuda)
Bowey takes the gong this week with a respectable 74 as the ADT Rookie Draft keeps pumping out gems. Undefeated in the AFL, not quite so in ADT, but a great young player all the same, hopefully he keeps this up with the return of Salem later on in the year, but he looks a star
Round 6 - Jason Horne-Francis (Calgary)
Well it was bound to happen eventually, but after being beaten by basically every eligible player this season, JHF stumbles into a nomination at last with no competition. There's no doubting his upside and potential, but he's perhaps more suited to Supercoach with his in and under contested approach. Nonetheless, he should be a good contributor for Calgary in the years to come, maybe with some juicy DPP too?
Round 7 - Sam Durham (Bermuda)
Durham was the only eligible player this week so he gets the nomination by default like JHF, only scoring 49 points, but seems to be an established player down at Essendon on a wing and with his tough attitude to playing there's definitely some upside there to raise his floor to be more consistent with his ceiling. Should be a handy player for Bermuda.
Round 8 - Jack Carroll (El Paso)
It might not have been his best game in his brief senior side stint scoring 55, but it's enough to get the nomination this week! Carroll showed big promise in his previous games and hopefully sees him in good stead for 2023
Round 9 - Neil Erasmus (Los Angeles)
A high draft pick, there's some hype about this kid with his prolific junior scoring. It may take some time to crack into the Dockers midfield, but he should do so soon enough. A score of 57 isn't setting the world on fire, but it's getting him a nomination which is probably more important?
Round 10 - Corey Durdin (El Paso)
Another nomination for El Paso, this time the crafty Carlton small forward Corey Durdin. Small forwards are almost never reliable, but maybe he can become a Dylan Moore type of player who just scores 100's for fun? A score of 65 is 2/3's of the way there anyway.
Round 11 - Heath Chapman (Hawaii)
It took longer than it probably should have, but Chapman finally gets a nomination after a brilliant 100. Hawaii are building a great young defence despite their age profile, and should be looking forward to the future that Chapman, Young and Coleman can bring
Round 12 - No one
The rookies have dried up! Will no one think of the children?
Round 14 - Ben Hobbs (Dallas)
It isn't the score you want to get a nomination, but Hobbs' 29 isn't reflective of this season to this point. Scoring well on the bench he forced himself into the senior side, albeit not for a long stay. The future looks bright for Hobbs, who has established himself in Essendon's 22.
Round 15 - Jake Soligo (Dallas)
Back to back nominations for our ladder leaders! Soligo posted a much more respectable total of 73 as his promising rookie season continues. He should find himself a key part of the Crows' rebuild and establish himself in their midfield.
Round 16 - Brady Hough (Washington)
Hough's score of 43 isn't that inspiring, but playing as a winger/half back he tends to find himself cleaning up cheap pill for easy fantasy points. With a year under his belt hopefully he can improve on his seagulling exploits
Round 17 - Tyler Sonsie (Guadalajara)
It's Sonsie time! Handed a debut in a struggling Guadalajara outfit, Sonsie's score of 57 is frankly not the worst score in that side. Highly rated as a junior it looks like his journey to become the goat at the Tigers is beginning.
Round 18 - Elijah Hollands (Washington)
The very highly rated Hollands makes his long awaited ADT debut and cleans up the final nomination of the season! A score of 64 sees him right at home in the forward line, and with upside as he rotates into midfield, the sky is the limit!