Top 5 rising star winners in AFL history ft. Sam Mitchell
The AFL Rising Star award is an award presented annually to the best young player in the league. It was first presented by the AFL in 1993 and has been named the Ron Evans medal since 2007 to honour the former league commission chairman posthumously.
The clubs with the most recipients of the award are Sydney, Fremantle and Melbourne, with three each. The club with the most nominations in a season is GWS Giants in the 2012 season, which was their inaugural season in the senior league. The most recent winner is North Melbourne's Harry Sheezel.
Many Rising Star awardees haven't received this award, but in this article, we list the most successful Rising Star award's past winnners.
Top five rising star winners in AFL history ft. Sam Mitchell
#5 Joel Selwood
Selwood was a Geelong player who made his AFL debut in 2007. He won the AFL Rising Star Award and AFLPA Best First-Year Player Award in his debut season. He set a VFL/AFL won record in his first 50 games (46–4) with a 92% winning percentage.
He won three premierships in five seasons: 2007, 2009 and as vice-captain in 2011. He became captain in 2012, and Geelong only missed the finals once in his tenure.
Selwood made two grand finals and won their 10th flag in 2022 after which he retired. He was known for his tackling and ability to earn free kicks and has the second-most tackles in AFL history, behind Scott Pendlebury who is still active.
He was Geelong’s best and fairest three times: 2010, 2013 and 2014. He made the All-Australian six times: 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017 and was captain three times : ‘13, ’14 and ‘16.
Selwood was the youngest player in Geelong history to play 200 senior games at 27, in 2015. He holds the record for most finals in league history, with 40, and joint-most finals series played, with 15, shared with Dick Lee and Michael Tuck.
#4 Sam Mitchell
Mitchell was recruited by Hawthorn with pick 36 in the 2001 AFL Draft. Hawthorn got picks one (Luke Hodge), 20 (Daniel Elstone) and number 36 (Mitchell) in exchange for Trent Croad and Luke McPharlin to Fremantle.
He won the VFL's best and fairest award with 31 votes in 11 games in 2002. In 2003, he joined the seniors and became known as “the Extractor” for his high number of clearances and ability to win the ball in the middle.
He won the 2003 AFL Rising Star, captained the Hawks between 2008-2010. He was known as an ambidextrous and ambipedal player able to use any of his limbs in any situation.
Mitchell won four premierships with the Hawks, in 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2015. He was Hawthorn's best and fairest five times 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2016, surpassed only by legendary Leigh Matthews with eight. He won a Brownlow in 2012 and was also selected for the All-Australian team in 2011, 2013 and 2015.
He joined West Coast Eagles in 2017 and played 22 games for them before he retired that season. Mitchell is now the Hawthorn's head coach.
#3 Ben Cousins
Ben Cousins joined West Coast in 1996 and played his debut game against Geelong where he scored two goals. He won the Norwich Rising Star award with 15 points.
He won a Brownlow and the Leigh Matthews trophy in 2005 even though West Coast lost the grand final that season. They won it the next season against Sydney swans who beat them the previous season. He was selected in the All-Australian team six times: 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005 and 2006.
Cousins was sacked by the Eagles in 2007 for a drug-related incident and banned for 12 months by the league. He returned in 2008 for Richmond and played 32 games before retiring in 2010.
#2 Nathan Buckley
Buckley was drafted by the Brisbane Bears in the 1991 AFL Draft. He initially resisted a move to the struggling Bears because he wanted to play in Melbourne.
He later signed a deal that allowed him to move to a club of his choosing after a season with the Bears in 1993. He immediately showed his quality and scored 21 goals in 20 games for the Bears. He won the inaugural Norwich Rising Star award and finished second in the Bears’ best and fairest award.
Buckley moved to Collingwood in a trade deal that moved Craig Starcevich, Troy Lehmann and the Magpies' first-round draft pick (no. 12, future double-premiership player Chris Scott) the other way.
Although he didn't win a flag, he won the Norm Smith for his performance in the 2002 Grand final, making him one of four players on the losing side to receive it. He won a Brownlow in 2003. He made the All-Australian team seven times between 1996-2003, missing out on selection in the 2002 season.
He retired in 2007 and was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
#1 Adam Goodes
Goodes was drafted by Sydney as 43rd pick in the 1997 AFL Draft. He spent the 1998 season with the reserves before moving to the senior side in 1999. He won the 1999 Rising Star award.
He was an utility player who scored 464 goals. He won the Bob Skilton medal three times: 2003, 2006 and 2011. He was Sydney's leading goal kicker in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Goodes won two Brownlows and two premierships and was selected for the All-Australian team four times. He's part of the Indigenous Team of the Century. He has the second most games played by an indigenous player, with 372, and is only surpassed by Shaun Burgoyne (407).