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AFL's Rising Star Award needs real shake up

20th April, 2010
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20th April, 2010
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While boom West Coast ruckman Nic Naitanui will almost certainly and deservedly pick up this season’s NAB Rising Star Award, the AFL would be wise to reassess the award’s eligibility criteria.

Should Michael Barlow average 25 possessions throughout the season and lead the Fremantle Dockers to just their third finals campaign, most football followers would believe Barlow worthy of least a nomination as the competition’s best rookie.

As the rules stand, at 24, Barlow is ineligible.

Likewise, the Cats 28 year old recruit James Podsiadly is capable of finishing 2010 with 50 plus goals. Such an achievement after walking into a premiership team is rare.

Should it not be considered at least the equal to Naitanui’s brilliance?

Barlow and Podsiadly are in their debut seasons. They deal with the same increase in pressure, responsibility and nerves as any youngster. The increase in mature age rookies within AFL ranks demands a rethink on the Rising Star voting.

Back in 1993, when then Brisbane Bears and soon to be Collingwood gun Nathan Buckley won the inaugaral award, mature age rookies were a dying breed and have become an almost endangered species since.

AFL recruiters became obsessed with testing and trials of 17 year olds to maximise the undeniably significant investment clubs make in new recruits.

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It was not deemed unreasonable for the Rising Star Award to be limited to those 21 and under with less than ten senior games to their name at the start of the season.

Some of the greatest players in recent decades did not arrive on the national scene until well into their twenties. Think Kernahan, Bradley, Buckenara.

A return to a broader recruiting plan has been forced upon AFL clubs given the imminent arrival of franchises on the Gold Coast and West Sydney. The next two drafts are severely compromised as a result, forcing scouts to seek out previously overlooked footballers with plenty still to offer.

In turn, it makes the rules for the NAB Rising Star Award increasingly redundant.

Recognition for the likes of Greg Broughton last season was sadly lacking, given he arrived at Fremantle at 22.

Twenty one year old Sydney Swans goalsneak Lewis Jetta is within months of similarly missing out. The likes of Jetta, Barlow and Podsiadly have given AFL fans plenty of exciting moments and talking points just a month into the season.

The Rising Star Award should recognise the best new players within the system regardless of age.

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