WESTERN Bulldogs defender Eleanor Brown and Brisbane ruck Tahlia Hickie are the final NAB AFLW Rising Star nominees for 2021.
Brown has been steadily building in form and was one of the Dogs' best against Richmond, finishing with 19 disposals (14 contested possessions), 14 intercepts, 336m gained and six tackles.
The 21-year-old joined the Dogs via pick No.10 in the 2018 NAB AFLW Draft, having played her junior footy at Sandringham Dragons and Glen Iris.
An elite runner, Brown is brave in attack and reads the play well. Friday night marked her 19th game at the top level.
Hickie has come through a slightly different path, having played a variety of sports including diving growing up.
She missed out on her draft year after suffering a bone cyst in her ankle and needing a portion of donor bone to replace the affected area.
The ruck is an excellent runner with a powerful boot, and has competed well in the air this year after joining the Lions with pick No.28 in the 2019 NAB AFLW Draft from Coorparoo.
Hickie recorded 15 hitouts, 15 disposals, six tackles and three clearances against Melbourne on Saturday.
She is Brisbane's third Rising Star nomination this year, with the winner to be announced at the W Awards on April 20.
Players are eligible for the NAB AFLW Rising Star if they are 21 years and under as of 1 January, 2021, and have not been previously nominated.
Two players will be nominated per home-and-away round of the NAB AFLW season.
2021 NAB AFLW RISING STAR NOMINEES
- Belle Dawes (Brisbane), round one
- Tarni White (St Kilda), round one
- Tyla Hanks (Melbourne), round two
- Jess Fitzgerald (Western Bulldogs), round two
- Nat Grider (Brisbane), round three
- Abbie McKay (Carlton), round three
- Tyanna Smith (St Kilda), round four
- Becky Webster (Geelong), round four
- Mikayla Bowen (West Coast), round five
- Ellie McKenzie (Richmond), round five
- Daisy Bateman (North Melbourne), round six
- Tarni Brown (Collingwood), round six
- Lauren Bella (Gold Coast), round seven
- Eliza McNamara (Melbourne), round seven
- Courtney Hodder (Brisbane), round eight
- Bella Lewis (West Coast), round eight
- Eleanor Brown (Western Bulldogs), round nine
- Tahlia Hickie (Brisbane), round nine
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