Former Geelong Falcons midfielder Sam Walsh was nominated for the NAB AFL Rising Star award following a standout fourth AFL game for Carlton in Round 4.

The 184cm 19-year-old recorded 28 disposals, 13 contested possessions, six marks, seven clearances, six tackles, five inside-50s and a goal in the Blues’ heartbreaking two-point loss to Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium on Sunday.

 

Walsh was selected by Carlton with pick no.1 at the 2018 AFL Draft following a remarkable season of individual accolades as a hard-running and skilful ball-getter.

After winning the most disposals for the Falcons in their 2017 Victorian U18 Boys premiership victory as a bottom-ager, the St Joseph’s (Geelong FL) product averaged 32 disposals per game in 12 matches as Geelong’s co-captain last year, subsequently taking out the club’s best-and-fairest award and being selected in the U18 Boys Team of the Year.

He also co-captained Vic Country at the 2018 AFL Under-18 Championships, where he averaged 29 disposals per game across four matches to earn the Larke Medal for the best player in Division 1 of the carnival and was later named the Under-18 All Australian team’s skipper.

Walsh made his AFL debut in Round 1 this season and is averaging 26 disposals, five marks and six clearances per game in his four matches to date.

He joins Geelong’s Charlie Constable (ex-Sandringham Dragons) as a former Victorian U18 Boys player to be nominated for the AFL Rising Star award so far in 2019.