Adelaide Crows forward/ruckman Kurt Tippett will be seeking to follow in the footsteps of another Gold Coast bred key forward, Nick Riewoldt and win the NAB Rising Star award which will be presented today at the Crown Palladium in Melbourne.
This award has anointed many previous champions such as Nathan Buckley (AFL Rising Star, 1993), Ben Cousins (1996) and Adam Goodes (1999). Tippett is the eighth Gold Coaster with Riewoldt (2002), Ricky Petterd (2007), Sam Gilbert (2007) Brad Moran (2006), Andrew Raines (2006), Michael Osborne (2003) and Steve Lawrence (1995) to be nominated for this prestigious award.
Although not rated as one of the top chances to take out this year’s award, Tippett has had a terrific debut season after missing most of last season with a cracked vertebrae in his neck.
The Crows snapped up the 200cm former basketballer with their 32nd pick in the 2006 national draft and after the injury horrors of last year Tippett has played 18 of a possible 22 games this year in the seniors.
After returning to the Crows line up last weekend, the 21 year old has alternated between the ruck and full forward where he has kicked 17 goals this season to date. Tippett burst to prominence with a series of stellar NAB pre-season cup performances earlier this year, starring for the Crows as they went on to make the Grand Final.
The Crows were narrowly beaten by St Kilda in the pre-season Grand Final but Tippett was amongst Adelaide’s best kicking four goals to pave the way for his full debut a week later against the Western Bulldogs.
Hawthorn’s Cyril Rioli or Fremantle midfielder Rhys Palmer are the favourites to take out this year’s NAB Rising Star award but there is no doubt Tippett who only kicked a football for the first time four years ago has a tremendous future ahead of him.
