Jagga Smith has been crowned the 2026 Telstra AFL Rising Star, receiving the Ron Evans Medal at tonight’s AFL Awards.

Smith won the award with 54 votes, ahead of teammate Harry Dean (39 votes), the West Coast Eagles’ Willem Duursma (29 votes) and North Melbourne’s Cooper Trembath (28 votes).

The 20-year-old received the Ron Evans Medal and $20,000 thanks to Telstra, after polling a maximum five votes from 10 of the 11-member All Australian panel.

Smith became only the second Carlton player to win the award, after Sam Walsh also polled 54 out of a possible 55 votes in 2019.

The 182cm midfielder was a standout for the Blues this year and averaged 25 disposals after making his debut in Opening Round. He featured in all but one of Carlton’s home and away games in 2026, after overcoming an ACL injury that ruled him out of the 2025 season.

He received a Telstra AFL Rising Star nomination in Round One after gathering a season-best 32 disposals (13 kicks, 19 handballs) in Carlton’s four-point win over Richmond.

Smith played community football for the Richmond Junior Football Club and was selected with Pick No.3 in the 2024 Telstra AFL Draft after an impressive season as captain of the Oakleigh Chargers in the Talent League.

In 2024 he was recognised as captain of both the Talent League Team of the Year and the U18 All Australian side, won the Oakleigh Chargers’ best and fairest and came third in the Morrish Medal (Talent League best and fairest).

Telstra, a valued supporter of the AFL and its communities for more than 20 years, is backing footy’s young guns with the Rising Star award recognising the best young player for 2026 in both the Toyota AFL Season and the NAB AFLW Season.

Telstra Executive Jana Kotatko said Telstra is proud to recognise young players as they make the life-changing transition into the AFL.

"We love celebrating young players through the Rising Star program and shining a light on the hard work and determination it takes to step up to the highest level of the game. We're delighted to congratulate Jagga Smith on his well-deserved win.

“Jagga has shown extraordinary resilience at such a young age, overcoming a serious injury to play a key role in Carlton's extraordinary turnaround this season.

“His impact in his first year playing has been remarkable and we look forward to watching what promises to be an outstanding career."

2026 Telstra AFL Rising Star voting

1st place – Jagga Smith (Carlton): 54 votes
2nd place – Harry Dean (Carlton): 39 votes
3rd place – Willem Duursma (West Coast): 29 votes
4th place – Cooper Trembath (North Melbourne): 28 votes
5th place – Jobe Shanahan (West Coast): 9 votes

Allocation of votes

Andrew Dillon (chair)

5. Jagga Smith (Carlton)
4. Harry Dean (Carlton)
3. Cooper Trembath (North Melbourne)
2. Willem Duursma (West Coast Eagles)
1. Jobe Shanahan (West Coast Eagles)

Eddie Betts

5. Jagga Smith (Carlton)
4. Cooper Trembath (North Melbourne)
3. Harry Dean (Carlton)
2. Willem Duursma (West Coast Eagles)
1. Leo Lombard (Gold Coast SUNS)

Simon Black

5. Jagga Smith (Carlton)
4. Willem Duursma (West Coast Eagles)
3. Harry Dean (Carlton)
2. Jobe Shanahan (West Coast Eagles)
1. Cooper Trembath (North Melbourne)

Jude Bolton

5. Jagga Smith (Carlton)
4. Harry Dean (Carlton)
3. Willem Duursma (West Coast Eagles)
2. Cooper Trembath (North Melbourne)
1. Jobe Shanahan (West Coast Eagles)

Abbey Holmes

5. Jagga Smith (Carlton)
4. Harry Dean (Carlton)
3. Willem Duursma (West Coast Eagles)
2. Cooper Trembath (North Melbourne)
1. Jobe Shanahan (West Coast Eagles)

Glen Jakovich

5. Jagga Smith (Carlton)
4. Willem Duursma (West Coast Eagles)
3. Cooper Trembath (North Melbourne)
2. Jobe Shanahan (West Coast Eagles)
1. Harry Dean (Carlton)

Laura Kane

5. Harry Dean (Carlton)
4. Jagga Smith (Carlton)
3. Cooper Trembath (North Melbourne)
2. Willem Duursma (West Coast Eagles)
1. Dyson Sharp (Essendon)

David Mundy

5. Jagga Smith (Carlton)
4. Cooper Trembath (North Melbourne)
3. Harry Dean (Carlton)
2. Jobe Shanahan (West Coast Eagles)
1. Sullivan Robey (Essendon)

Joel Selwood

5. Jagga Smith (Carlton)
4. Harry Dean (Carlton)
3. Willem Duursma (West Coast Eagles)
2. Cooper Trembath (North Melbourne)
1. Mitchell Edwards (Geelong Cats)

Kevin Sheehan

5. Jagga Smith (Carlton)
4. Harry Dean (Carlton)
3. Willem Duursma (West Coast Eagles)
2. Cooper Trembath (North Melbourne)
1. Leo Lombard (Gold Coast SUNS)

Greg Swann

5. Jagga Smith (Carlton)
4. Harry Dean (Carlton)
3. Willem Duursma (West Coast Eagles)
2. Cooper Trembath (North Melbourne)
1. Leo Lombard (Gold Coast SUNS)

2026 Telstra AFL Rising Star nominees:

Round	Player	Total votes
OR	Leo Lombard (Gold Coast SUNS)
1	Jagga Smith (Carlton)	54
2	Jobe Shanahan (West Coast Eagles)	9
3	Willem Duursma (West Coast Eagles)	29
4	Cooper Trembath (North Melbourne)	28
5	Jacob Farrow (Essendon)
6	Phoenix Gothard (GWS GIANTS)
7	Sam Grlj (Richmond)
8	Jack Whitlock (Port Adelaide)
9	Sullivan Robey (Essendon)
10	Josh Lindsay (West Coast Eagles)
11	Patrick Retschko (Richmond)
12	Harry Dean (Carlton)	39
13	Cooper Hynes (Western Bulldogs)
14	Jasper Alger (Richmond)
15	Jai Murray (Gold Coast SUNS)
16	Ty Gallop (Brisbane Lions)
17	Zeke Uwland (Gold Coast SUNS)
18	Riley Hamilton (GWS GIANTS)
19	Dyson Sharp (Essendon)
20	Talor Byrne (Carlton)
21	Mitchell Edwards (Geelong Cats)
22	Jesse Dattoli (Sydney Swans)
23	Sam Swadling (Collingwood)
24	Billy Wilson (Carlton)

 

Ron Evans medallists: 1993 – Present

Year	Player	Club	Votes	Recruited from
2026	Jagga Smith	CARL	54	Oakleigh Chargers (VIC)
2025	Murphy Reid	FRE	48	Sandringham Dragons (VIC)
2024	Oliver Dempsey	GEEL	52	Old Carey (VIC)
2023	Harry Sheezel	NMFC	54	Sandringham Dragons (VIC)
2022	Nick Daicos	COLL	60	Oakleigh Chargers (VIC)
2021	Luke Jackson	MELB	51	East Fremantle (WA)
2020	Caleb Serong	FRE	48	Gippsland Power (VIC)
2019	Sam Walsh	CARL	54	Geelong Falcons (VIC)
2018	Jaidyn Stephenson	COLL	52	Eastern Ranges (VIC)
2017	Andrew McGrath	ESS	51	Sandringham Dragons (VIC)
2016	Callum Mills	SYD	49	Sydney Swans Academy (NSW)
2015	Jesse Hogan	MELB	49	Claremont (WA)
2014	Lewis Taylor	BRIS	39	Geelong Falcons (VIC)
2013	Jaeger O'Meara	GCFC	44	Perth (WA)
2012	Daniel Talia	ADEL	43	Calder Cannons (VIC)
2011	Dyson Heppell	ESS	44	Gippsland Power (VIC)
2010	Daniel Hannebery	SYD	45	Oakleigh Chargers (VIC)
2009	Daniel Rich	BRIS	45	Subiaco (WA)
2008	Rhys Palmer	FRE	44	East Fremantle (WA)
2007	Joel Selwood	GEEL	44	Bendigo Pioneers (VIC)
2006	Danyle Pearce	PORT	43	Sturt (SA)
2005	Brett Deledio	RICH	43	Murray Bushrangers (VIC)
2004	Jared Rivers	MELB	45	North Adelaide (SA)
2003	Sam Mitchell	HAW	33	Eastern Ranges (VIC)
2002	Nick Riewoldt	STK	34	Southport (QLD)
2001	Justin Koschitzke	STK	31	Murray Bushrangers (VIC)
2000	Paul Hasleby	FRE	33	East Fremantle (WA)
1999	Adam Goodes	SYD	33	North Ballarat (VIC)
1998	Byron Pickett	NMFC	30	Port Adelaide (SA)
1997	Michael Wilson	PORT	27	Port Adelaide (SA)
1996	Ben Cousins	WCE	-	East Fremantle (WA)
1995	Nick Holland	HAW	-	North Adelaide (SA)
1994	Chris Scott	BRIS	-	Eastern Ranges (VIC)
1993	Nathan Buckley	BRIS	-	Port Adelaide (SA)