TWO AFL games, two massive wins, and a perfect start to his senior career. 

Greater Western Sydney forward Riley Hamilton could not have scripted a better introduction to top-flight football, a blistering start that has earned him the round 18 Telstra AFL Rising Star nomination. 

Curiously, however, despite the back-to-back victories, the teenager has only sung the team song once. 

Hamilton missed the celebration following the Giants' 13-point home victory over the Cats because he was caught up signing autographs for fans long after the final siren.

"By the time I got into the rooms, the song was over. So, unfortunately, I missed it," Hamilton told AFL.com.au. 

"No one realised at first, but when I came running in just as it ended, some of the boys called out, like, 'What are you doing? You missed the song!'

"But it was alright. I got a couple of nice messages from fans saying they were very grateful for me signing their things."

The nomination follows a strong performance against Geelong on Saturday evening, where the hybrid forward recorded 15 disposals and kicked 2.1 to prove himself as a potent option in the GWS forward line. This came on the back of a stellar debut the week before in the win over ladder-leader Fremantle in his hometown of Canberra.

Having featured in 11 VFL games for the Giants this season, Hamilton came into the senior side at a crucial time. The club is currently without forwards Max Gruzewski and Brent Daniels because of injury, while Jesse Hogan, Oliver Hannaford, and Jake Riccardi are also sidelined.

Sporting an iconic bleached blonde rats tail, Hamilton earned his nickname 'The Rat' after being dubbed by commentator Joe Pignataro during a VFL game against the Box Hill Hawks. 

"They played a clip in the review, and the commentator went crazy about it, going, 'Oh, the Rat!'," Hamilton said.

"Then all the boys jumped on it and started calling me 'The Rat.' From there, it's just stuck."

The 19-year-old’s distinct look has been a work in progress for three years, starting out unbleached before one of his sisters suggested he change things up because "it was a bit boring". 

Now, he bleaches it every three months and has only trimmed it "a couple of times".

Having previously floated plans to shave his famous hairstyle for charity, now that he is in the spotlight, Hamilton revealed the idea is gaining momentum. 

"It's definitely getting some traction, especially with more people talking about the nickname and Dan Gorringe posting about it," he said. 

However, fans won't see the haircut just yet, as Hamilton intends to keep the look for the remainder of the season to "keep what's going well" before organising a fundraiser.

"I'll probably look at doing it at the end of the year," Hamilton said.

"I'd love to raise money either for EB (Epidermolysis Bullosa) research, especially after our match supporting kids with the condition over the weekend, or for men's mental health. We'll see which direction we go."

The Giants have an ongoing partnership with the EB Research Partnership Australia to raise awareness and funds for epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a rare genetic disorder that makes the skin extremely fragile.

Hamilton is one of six children in a remarkably talented footballing family, though they have all endured vastly different pathways. 

Besides 22-year-old Cynthia, a former junior superstar who took a direct route into the AFLW with Sydney, his siblings share a deep resilience.

Hamilton’s 25-year-old sister Lexi also plays for the Swans but had to work incredibly hard to get onto a list after missing her initial draft year — a hurdle Hamilton also faced after tearing his ACL and being overlooked in the 2024 Draft. 

His 23-year-old sister Jayde currently dominates local football in Canberra despite having her own elite aspirations derailed by a broken leg in her draft year. 

Meanwhile, their youngest sibling, 16-year-old Billie, recently represented the Allies at the U18 Girls National Championships and kicked two goals as a bottom-age prospect. Currently developing within the Giants Academy, Billie is heavily on the club's radar.

"We've all had different pathways, but I think we've learned a lot from each other," Hamilton said. 

"We've seen how hard each of us has to work, and it's great to see all of us doing well. Billie has two great idols in Lexi and Cynthia to look up to, and I try to give her good advice as well. It would be great for her to come to the Giants and reward the Academy for putting the work and effort into her development."

Growing up supporting the Swans creates an interesting environment at home.

"There's a little bit of rivalry around home with the girls, but it's all just in a jokey manner," Hamilton said. 

"We know we're all competing at the highest level, and we're all proud of each other for the way we're tracking. Obviously, when the girls play against the Giants, I try to go neutral, but when they're not playing the Giants, I go for the Swans in the AFLW."

When asked about the online criticism Cynthia received for wearing a Giants scarf during his debut broadcast, Hamilton emphasised that her gesture came from a place of pure support. 

While admitting Cynthia may have "got in a little bit of trouble" for the wardrobe choice, he shared how proud she is of his achievement and expressed his gratitude that she was there to celebrate with him.

2026 Telstra AFL Rising Star nominees

Opening Round: Leo Lombard (Gold Coast)
Round one: Jagga Smith (Carlton)
Round two: Jobe Shanahan (West Coast)
Round three: Willem Duursma (West Coast)
Round four: Cooper Trembath (North Melbourne)
Round five: Jacob Farrow (Essendon)
Round six: Phoenix Gothard (Greater Western Sydney)
Round seven: Sam Grlj (Richmond)
Round eight: Jack Whitlock (Port Adelaide)
Round nine: Sullivan Robey (Essendon)
Round 10: Josh Lindsay (West Coast)
Round 11: Patrick Retschko (Richmond)
Round 12: Harry Dean (Carlton)
Round 13: Cooper Hynes (Western Bulldogs)
Round 14: Jasper Alger (Richmond)
Round 15: Jai Murray (Gold Coast)
Round 16: Ty Gallop (Brisbane)
Round 17: Zeke Uwland (Gold Coast)
Round 18: Riley Hamilton (Greater Western Sydney)