WITH the AFL Rising Star judges having cast their votes and the winner to be announced on Wednesday, Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson was happy to sing Cyril Rioli's chances a day early.

Rioli is the bookmakers' second-pick to win the award for the competition's best emerging junior talent, and Clarkson admitted the Hawthorn dynamo had exceeded all expectations in his first season at the level.

Rioli, selected at No. 12 in last year's draft, has played every match this season for Hawthorn and booted 20 goals playing as a permanent small forward.

But it hasn't only been his role close to goal that has impressed, with creativity and defensive pressure a feature of his play.

Asked if Rioli’s standout first season warranted formal recognition, Clarkson was diplomatic.

"You’re asking a pretty biased pair here in Mitch (Hawks skipper Sam Mitchell) and myself … we’ve got an enormous amount of time for the lad," Clarkson said.

"The judges will make their mind up, they've probably been made up by now so nothing that we say or do will influence what they say.

"But irrespective of whether he wins it or not, we know we've got a little beauty and he’ll be a diamond in our pack for a long period of time."

Clarkson said the pacy left-footer had been brought to the Hawks with a specific role in mind, and Hawthorn couldn't be happier with the 19-year-old's contribution.

"All our recruiting [guys], with Gary Buckenara and Chris Pelchen last year, Graeme Wright, thought this was the kid that could really add something to our group," Clarkson said.

"We think it’s a pretty difficult position to play … it is a very, very difficult position to play.

"They’re hard to find, those type of players … we reckon we’ve got a beauty in Cyril.

"I don’t think at any point when you draft a lad, even in the first round of a draft, do you expect that they’re going to make the contribution that he's been able to make.

"You know he's up there in the competition for goal assists, he's up there in the competition for small forwards in terms of goals, he's up there in the competition for tackles and he's up there in the competition in terms of being a quality young bloke, too.

"So we're just delighted that he's at our footy club and we think that he’s going to have a real influential future in terms of the way we go about it over the next few years."