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).
| Year | Player | Club | Votes | Recruited from |
| 2024 | Ollie Dempsey | GEEL | 52 | Boroondara (Vic)/Carey Grammar (Vic)/Old Carey (Vic) |
| 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) |
