THE GEELONG Cats’ Oliver Dempsey has been crowned the 2024 Telstra AFL Rising Star, receiving the Ron Evans Medal at the AFL Awards tonight.
Dempsey won the award with 52 votes ahead of North Melbourne’s George Wardlaw (43 votes), the Brisbane Lions’ Kai Lohmann (21 votes) and St Kilda’s Darcy Wilson (15 votes).
The 21-year-old received the Ron Evans Medal and $20,000 thanks to Telstra at the AFL Awards ceremony tonight.
Dempsey polled a maximum five votes from nine of the 11-member All-Australian panel, while Wardlaw received four votes from nine of the panel and the maximum five from one panellist.
Dempsey has been a stand-out for the Cats, who finished third at the conclusion of the 2024 Toyota AFL Home and Away Season. He becomes the second player from the Geelong Cats to win the award, alongside Joel Selwood who won in 2007.
The 187cm forward kicked 21 goals and averaged almost 18 disposals from his 23 games this season. He registered more than 20 disposals in nine games and had an impressive 23 goal assists and 125 score involvements across the season.
Dempsey was nominated for the Telstra AFL Rising Star award in Round One after kicking three goals and 15 disposals against St Kilda.
He was selected with pick 13 in the 2022 Rookie Draft from Old Carey after playing community footy with Boroondara Hawks and juniors with the Hawthorn Citizens.
Telstra, a valued supporter of the AFL and its communities for more than 20 years, is backing footy’s young guns as the Telstra AFL Rising Star award recognises the best young player for 2024 in both the Toyota AFL Season and the NAB AFLW Season.
Telstra Executive Brent Smart said: “We’re delighted to congratulate Oliver Dempsey on winning the Telstra AFL Rising Star Award in our first year of involvement, and well done to all the other nominees,” Mr. Smart said.
“It’s not easy starting out, and these players go through incredible growth as they begin their careers. We’re really proud to be backing the young guns and providing an opportunity to shine a light on their incredible talents and contributions.”
2024 Telstra AFL Rising Star voting:
1st place – Oliver Dempsey (Geelong Cats): 52 votes
2nd place – George Wardlaw (North Melbourne): 43 votes
3rd place – Kai Lohmann (Brisbane Lions): 21 votes
4th place – Darcy Wilson (St Kilda): 15 votes
5th place – Colby McKercher (North Melbourne): 12 votes
Allocation of votes
Andrew Dillon (Chair)
5. Oliver Dempsey (Geelong Cats)
4. George Wardlaw (North Melbourne)
3. Darcy Jones (GWS GIANTS)
2. Darcy Wilson (St Kilda)
1. Colby McKercher (North Melbourne)
Eddie Betts
5. Oliver Dempsey (Geelong Cats)
4. George Wardlaw (North Melbourne)
3. Darcy Jones (GWS GIANTS)
2. Lawson Humphries (Geelong Cats)
1. Bodhi Uwland (Gold Coast SUNS)
Jude Bolton
5. Oliver Dempsey (Geelong Cats)
4. George Wardlaw (North Melbourne)
3. Matt Roberts (Sydney Swans)
2. Darcy Wilson (St Kilda)
1. Kai Lohmann (Brisbane Lions)
Nathan Buckley
5. Oliver Dempsey (Geelong Cats)
4. George Wardlaw (North Melbourne)
3. Bodhi Uwland (Gold Coast SUNS) 2. Darcy Wilson (St Kilda)
1. Kai Lohmann (Brisbane Lions)
Kane Cornes
5. Oliver Dempsey (Geelong Cats)
4. George Wardlaw (North Melbourne)
3. Darcy Wilson (St Kilda)
2. Bodhi Uwland (Gold Coast SUNS)
1. Kai Lohmann (Brisbane Lions)
Abbey Holmes
5. George Wardlaw (North Melbourne)
4. Oliver Dempsey (Geelong Cats)
3. Colby McKercher (North Melbourne)
2. Kai Lohmann (Brisbane Lions)
1. Bodhi Uwland (Gold Coast SUNS)
Glen Jakovich
5. Oliver Dempsey (Geelong Cats)
4. Kai Lohmann (Brisbane Lions)
3. Colby McKercher (North Melbourne)
2. George Wardlaw (North Melbourne)
1. Bodhi Uwland (Gold Coast SUNS)
Matthew Pavlich
5. Oliver Dempsey (Geelong Cats)
4. George Wardlaw (North Melbourne)
3. Kai Lohmann (Brisbane Lions)
2. Colby McKercher (North Melbourne)
1. Bodhi Uwland (Gold Coast SUNS)
Laura Kane
5. Oliver Dempsey (Geelong Cats)
4. George Wardlaw (North Melbourne)
3. Colby McKercher (North Melbourne)
2. Kai Lohmann (Brisbane Lions)
1. Darcy Wilson (St Kilda)
Josh Mahoney
5. Kai Lohmann (Brisbane Lions)
4. George Wardlaw (North Melbourne)
3. Oliver Dempsey (Geelong Cats)
2. Darcy Wilson (St Kilda)
1. Logan Morris (Brisbane Lions)
Kevin Sheehan
5. Oliver Dempsey (Geelong Cats)
4. George Wardlaw (North Melbourne)
3. Darcy Wilson (St Kilda)
2. Kai Lohmann (Brisbane Lions)
1. Caleb Windsor (Melbourne)
2024 Telstra AFL Rising Star nominees
| Round | Player | Total votes |
| OR | Matt Roberts (Sydney Swans) | 3 |
| 1 | Ollie Dempsey (Geelong Cats) | 52 |
| 2 | George Wardlaw (North Melbourne) | 43 |
| 3 | Harvey Gallagher (Western Bulldogs) | 0 |
| 4 | Sam Darcy (Western Bulldogs)* | 0 |
| 5 | Harley Reid (West Coast Eagles)* | 0 |
| 6 | Darcy Wilson (St Kilda) | 15 |
| 7 | Jake Rogers (Gold Coast SUNS) | 0 |
| 8 | Caleb Windsor (Melbourne) | 1 |
| 9 | Colby McKercher (North Melbourne) | 12 |
| 10 | Kai Lohmann (Brisbane Lions) | 21 |
| 11 | Harvey Harrison (Collingwood) | 0 |
| 12 | Bodhi Uwland (Gold Coast SUNS) | 9 |
| 13 | Luke Nankervis (Adelaide Crows) | 0 |
| 14 | Harvey Thomas (GWS GIANTS) | 0 |
| 15 | Logan Morris (Brisbane Lions) | 1 |
| 16 | Will Graham (Gold Coast SUNS) | 0 |
| 17 | Darcy Jones (GWS GIANTS) | 6 |
| 18 | Lawson Humphries (Geelong Cats) | 2 |
| 19 | Nick Watson (Hawthorn) | 0 |
| 20 | Joshua Draper (Fremantle) | 0 |
| 21 | Jackson Archer (North Melbourne) | 0 |
| 22 | Nate Caddy (Essendon) | 0 |
| 23 | Calsher Dear (Hawthorn) | 0 |
| 24 | Logan Evans (Port Adelaide) | 0 |
Ron Evans medallists: 1993 – Present
| Year | Player | Club | Votes | Recruited from |
| 2024 | Oliver Dempsey | GEEL | 52 | Old Carey (VIC) |
| 2023 | Harry Sheezel | NMFC | 54 | AJAX (VIC) |
| 2022 | Nick Daicos | COLL | 60 | Greythorn Falcons (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 | BRIS | 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 | BRIS | 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 | BRIS | - | Eastern U18 |
| 1993 | Nathan Buckley | BRIS | - | Port Adelaide (SANFL) |
