WEST Coast young gun Jake Waterman's impressive Western Derby debut on Sunday has scored him the round six NAB AFL Rising Star nomination.

Waterman, who turns 20 on Sunday, kicked two third-quarter goals among 14 disposals in his sixth game at the highest level as the Eagles hung on for an eight-point win over Fremantle. 

The 191cm forward has kept his place since breaking into West Coast's line-up in round one, following in his father and dual Eagles premiership defender Chris' footsteps. 

Waterman battled a foot stress fracture and illness in his first season on the list last year, but has been a bright spot in West Coast's surprising 5-1 start. 

He is averaging 12.5 disposals, 4.7 marks, three inside 50s and a goal per game. 

Waterman models his game on Tom Lynch, revealing his admiration for the Adelaide star in a pre-season interview with AFL.com.au in February. 

"I don't know how (Lynch) gets so much of the ball," Waterman said.

"Whenever Adelaide plays West Coast I always keep an eye on him and see how he moves, because he's such a smart player ahead of the footy, a neat kick and he sets everything up.  

"Hopefully I can push up the ground a little bit more and get some more fitness and play that role just being able to get up and back, up and back." 

The Claremont product's brother Alec spent two seasons at the Eagles before being delisted in 2016 after an extended battle with glandular fever and chronic fatigue syndrome. 

Their father played 177 games for West Coast between 1988 and 1998.