The AFL Rising Star Award was instituted in 1993 to recognise and encourage talented young players in the AFL.

How does the AFL Rising Star Award work?

One nominee is chosen each week during the home-and-away season.

At the end of the season a panel of experts votes for the winner.

In 2007, the AFL Rising Star Award was named in memory of former AFL Commission Chairman Ron Evans and the winner receives the Ron Evans Medal.

Who is eligible?

To be eligible for the AFL Rising Star Award, each year's nominated players must be under the age of 21 at 1 January and have played no more than 10 AFL games to the start of that season.

They must not have been suspended by the AFL or State League tribunals during the season (as with the Brownlow Medal, players found guilty of certain offences and fined or reprimanded by the Tribunal remain eligible to win the award).

AFL RISING STAR WINNERS: 1993-PRESENT

Year Player Club Votes Recruited from
2023 Harry Sheezel NM 54 Ajax (Vic)/Mount Scopus College (Vic)/Sandringham U18
2022 Nick Daicos COLL 60 Oakleigh Chargers (VIC)
2021 Luke Jackson MELB 51 East Fremantle Sharks (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 North Shore (NSW)
2015 Jesse Hogan MELB 49 Claremont (WA)
2014 Lewis Taylor BL 39 Terang-Mortlake (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 Kew (VIC)
2009 Daniel Rich BL 45 Subiaco (WA)
2008 Rhys Palmer FRE 44 East Fremantle (WA)
2007 Joel Selwood GEEL 44 Bendigo U18
2006 Danyle Pearce PORT 43 Sturt (SA)
2005 Brett Deledio RICH 43 Kyabram/ Murray U18
2004 Jared Rivers MELB 45 North Adelaide (SA)
2003 Sam Mitchell HAW 33 Mooroolbark/ Eastern U18
2002 Nick Riewoldt STK 34 Southport (Qld)
2001 Justin Koschitzke STK 31 Albury (NSW)/ Murray U18
2000 Paul Hasleby FRE 33 East Fremantle (WA)
1999 Adam Goodes SYD 33 Horsham/ North Ballarat U18
1998 Byron Pickett NMFC 30 Port Adelaide (SANFL)
1997 Michael Wilson PORT 27 Port Adelaide (SANFL)
1996 Ben Cousins WCE  - East Fremantle (WA)
1995 Nick Holland HAW  - North Adelaide (SA)
1994 Chris Scott BL  - Eastern U18
1993 Nathan Buckley BL  - Port Adelaide (SANFL)