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With only a few weeks left in the 2015 AFL season, there have been a number of players who have led the charge to be the 2015 NAB AFL Rising Star.
Isaac Heeney from the Swans came out of the blocks hard early, and if it wasn’t for a knee injury that put him out for a good portion of the season, he would have taken the title.
Angus Brayshaw from the Demons has been a consistent highlight for Melbourne, and his no-frills, ball-busting attack on the player, coupled with silky skills on both sides of the body, make him a beacon of hope (and haven’t the Demons had a few of those over the last decade) for the much improved club.
He hasn’t flown under the radar, but has not set alarms ringing either.
Dom Sheed from West Coast and Cam McCarthy from Greater Western Sydney also staked their claim throughout the 2015 season. Sheed has been massive in a West Coast midfield that is currently sitting second on the AFL ladder, and are a genuine threat for the flag.
McCarthy hit the ground running in the GWS forward line and was outshining All-Australian forward Jeremy Cameron earlier in the season, kicking 23 goals from his 10 appearances with the Giants. But his form has waned in recent weeks.
Others like Micth Honeychurch from the Western Bulldogs, Adam Saad from Gold Coast, Jack Lonie from St Kilda, Corey Gregson from Geelong, and Billy Hurtung from Hawthorn have a right to stake their claim as the best young player in the AFL.
But if you had to put your money on the two players who have been head and shoulders above the rest it would come down to Patrick Cripps from Carlton and Jesse Hogan from the Demons.
Cripps actually debuted in 2014 but due to the eligibility criteria of the Rising Star award, still qualifies for the 2015 award.
His performance in a team that’s gone backwards in 2015 is remarkable and the stats he has generated are very, very good for a 20-year-old. He averages 19 disposals, five tackles, five clearances, and 11 contested possessions in his 18 appearances for the Blues. He has flourished since Chris Judd’s early retirement, and looks to be a future Carlton captain.
‘Hulk’ Hogan has played only 15 games for the Demons and in that short time has dominated virtually every backman he has played on. Hogan has kicked 32 goals (and yet to be held goalless), averages 13 disposals, seven marks (ranked third for contested marks in the league and total contested marks), and has an appetite for the football as well as destruction that hasn’t worn the red and blue for a very long time.
Hogan is a natural footballer in a game dominated by athletes, and has the potential to be an all-time great.
If I had to put my money on who will take out the award, I would say Hogan. His form has only got better as the season has progressed and he played in what is the hardest position on the ground: full forward.
Regardless, both clubs know they have got two potential greats on their list.
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