Who will win this year's Rising Star?

In exactly the sort of situation that Coldplay would love, this year’s race to be the AFL’s Rising Star isn’t down to just one or two, but a Sky Full of Stars.

It’s rare that the first handful of picks in a draft can have such an immediate impact, with last year’s top five selections Jacob Weitering, Josh Schache, Callum Mills, Clayton Oliver and Darcy Parish all contributing on a regular basis, and to a high quality.

Sydney’s academy draftee Mills has slotted in seamlessly into the Swans’ seemingly eternal talent machine, already offering the sort of dependability expected of a 100-game player.

The ease with which he has operated at half-back has come as a nice surprise for John Longmire, given it’s a position that with the loss of Rhyce Shaw and Nick Malceski in recent years they otherwise lack depth in.

Parish, at just 73 kilograms, has managed to be an important factor in Essendon’s understandably undermanned inside midfield, somehow averaging 21 disposals across his 12 games, only falling below 20 disposals twice.

His class – from bursting through a pack and firing off a handball to the advantage of a teammate in space, to smoothly kicking on his opposite foot – has been more than welcomed by the folk down at Tullamarine.

While second-year pair Christian Petracca and Caleb Daniel have worked their way into Rising Star contention, the former boasting a physical presence that defies his youth, and the latter exhibiting the calm decision-making skills of a veteran.

Yet at this admittedly early stage, the clubhouse leader is a certain defender that your Blues friends may have mentioned to you, in that typically modest Carlton way that they do.

Handed the task of living up to the hype of being the number one pick, Carlton’s Weitering has been superb for the Blues.

Weitering’s entire game from his draft year has immediately transferred straight to the AFL, where he has already become an important component of Brendon Bolton’s backline.

The 195-centimetre key defender has already shown the three-dimensional ability of some of the best current defenders in the competition, being able to lock down on an opponent, peel off to intercept opposition entries and offer assured rebound with ball in hand, averaging 16 disposals, six marks and three rebounds a game.

It should come as no surprise that such an improvement in such a crucial position has helped streamline Carlton’s unexpected climb back up the ladder.

In their most recent win – admittedly against cellar-dwellers Brisbane – Weitering was one of the best on ground, acquiring 14 marks and 24 disposals at 79 per cent efficiency, cutting off numerous inside 50s.

Not often is a young player able to so quickly perform to a high level, but it’s even rarer that they can do so from a key position on the ground, where there is a such a significant natural advantage for stronger, more physically mature bodies.

Which makes Weitering’s season thus far – much like Rising Star winner Jesse Hogan’s last year – all the more impressive.

Of course, it is still only halfway through the footballing year.

As there are still ten rounds to go in the home-and-away season, it’s still very possible for one of Daniel, Parish, Petracca, Mills or even Giants young gun – another one, really guys? – Jacob Hopper to overtake the Blues defender.

But if Weitering can keep performing to the same standard he has managed for the majority of the year and avoid any significant injuries, he’ll be difficult to run down.

At this stage, despite his position on the ground, Weitering has put his best foot forward.