CALEB Daniel did not allow himself to become overawed by his first significant finals appearance, the second-year Bulldog producing a best afield display against West Coast on Thursday night.
With only a brief finals appearance as a substitute last season, Daniel recorded the second-highest Schick AFL Player Ratings score of the round (21.8 points) in his side's 47-point win elimination final win over the Eagles.
Adelaide's Brodie Smith (22.2 points) led all comers in the Player Ratings, with Luke Shuey (21.7) in third, Eddie Betts (21.1) in fourth and Tom Hawkins (20.8) in fifth.
Daniel, runner up to the Sydney Swans' Callum Mills in the NAB AFL Rising Star award, collected a team-high 33 disposals at 75.8 per cent efficiency, as well as helping himself to six score assists and eight inside 50s.
The 20-year-old became the youngest player to log six or more assists since Champion Data started recording the stat in 2003.
Seven of Daniel's kicks inside forward 50 led to five marks (71 per cent) and six of his kicks were retained by his team (86 per cent) inside forward 50.
The AFL average for those stats are 49 and 21 per cent respectively.
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said Daniel's performance was "enormous" in his side's stunning victory in the west.
Daniel hardly wasted a possession on Thursday night, with his clean hands with the footy and poise, for such a young player, coming to the fore.
"Caleb was brilliant," Beveridge said after the match.
"It's such a big stage for a second-year player and he was enormous for us."
Daniel has averaged a tick under 22 disposals per game this season and led all Rising Star-eligible players for possessions throughout 2016.
Daniel's star is Rising
The youngest five players to have recorded six-plus score assists since Champion Data started recording them in 2003.
1. 20.17 years Caleb Daniel (WB) Round 24, 2016
2. 20.39 years Jarryd Blair (Coll) Round 23, 2010
3. 20.79 years Luke Breust (Haw) Round 23, 2011
4. 21.50 years Luke Breust (Haw) Round 07, 2012
5. 21.79 years Nathan Foley (Rich) Round 12, 2007
*Stats supplied by Champion Data
