SOME might consider it too early in the season to start considering who'll claim the league's individual awards come September, but history suggests there's one prize that might have inadvertently been decided already.

The NAB AFL Rising Star has been awarded to the best up-and-coming talent since 1993, when a fresh-faced Brisbane Lion named Nathan Buckley claimed the first medal.

A player is nominated following each round of football based on their performance on that weekend. A panel of experts then selects the winner at the end of the season by awarding votes to their top five players.

Since the medal has been in existence, only three players from 15 recipients have been nominated after round seven – and one of them was recognised just outside the first seven weeks in round eight.

It's an undeniable trend, with those nominated earlier in the season given the obvious opportunity to showcase their wares underneath a brighter spotlight.

Their names are bandied about, they receive a week's worth of press engagements following their nomination, and you can't help but keep an eye out for 'that' young gun whose name you might not otherwise remember.

It certainly appears your cause is helped if you're recognised early on, which is why we're taking a closer look at the first seven nominations for this season's prize.

ROUND ONE
Bachar Houli (Essendon)
Played – 11 games (2007: four, 2008: seven)
Houli has played every game for the Bombers this year, and has shown just what a strong pre-season can do for a young player's confidence. He's is the first to admit he has flourished under new coach Matthew Knights, who gave him the challenge of stepping up to become a full-time midfielder late last year. He's taken his average disposals up from 11.0 to 19.9 per game after further developing his physique over the summer months. His presence has been a breath of fresh air for Bombers' supporters in an otherwise unsuccessful start to the season. 

ROUND TWO
Josh Hill (Western Bulldogs)
Played – eight games (2007: one, 2008: seven)
Another Rising Star to play every game this season, Hill exploded into contention in the second week with a three-goal bag against Melbourne. His flashy antics around goal and love of kicking a major make him an exciting player to watch, and his impressive start to the year has earned him a consistent spot in the team – something he failed to achieve last season. He has trailed off slightly in recent times, but is still managing to find his way into the side on a weekly basis. 

ROUND THREE
Rhys Palmer (Fremantle)
Played – six games (all in 2008)
The young Docker, who is the first from the class of 2007 to be nominated, could be considered a strong favourite so far from this crop of emerging talent. He has had only one average game this year, which came the weekend after he won his nomination. In round three, he showed immense courage to script himself into the Dockers' best after splitting his head open in the first quarter. He had 22 possessions on debut in round three, and played a blinder against Adelaide in round five with 29 possessions and eight marks. Palmer is averaging more than 20 disposals a game right now, and has been an exciting pick-up for his side in a season where on-field success has been hard to come by. 

ROUND FOUR
Kieren Jack (Sydney)
Played – nine games (2007: two, 2008: seven)
The word consistency comes to mind when considering Jack's start to 2008. The 20-year-old has played every game, and with an average of 12.6 disposals per game (up from nine last year), has been getting the ball on regular occasions. The son of former rugby league great Garry has been given some tough roles this year, including halting the prowess of star Eagle Daniel Kerr in the round he was nominated. He kept Kerr to just 15 touches while nailing nine tackles and picking up 14 possessions of his own. Having also played alongside Shaun Burgoyne, Luke Power and Gary Ablett, Jack clearly has the confidence of coach Paul Roos, and has shown plenty in the first seven rounds. 

ROUND FIVE
Ben McKinley (West Coast)
Played – six games (2007: one, 2008: five)
He might have only played five games this year, but the bright Eagles forward is leading the club's goal-kicking with 14 majors from Quinten Lynch (nine). The 21-year-old came into the side in round three and booted three goals, upped it to four in round four and then five the following week. He dropped off in the Eagles' loss to Carlton, but has been the noticeable improver from his club's list in a season where the Eagles desperately need its young stars to stand up.  

ROUND SIX
Cyril Rioli (Hawthorn)
Played – seven games (all in 2008)
This 18-year-old excitement machine is the other clear front-runner in contention so far. Rioli has had fans on the edge of their seats since bursting onto the scene in round one, and when he teams up with big 'Buddy' Franklin, the pair form a formidable attacking structure. Having already thrown his name up for Goal of the Year with an incredible kick from the boundary against Richmond in the round he was nominated, 'Junior' might not be a high-scoring small forward just yet, (nine goals from seven games), but he makes sure everyone is watching when he has the ball in his hands. 

ROUND SEVEN
Austin Wonaeamirri (Melbourne)
Played – five games (all in 2008)
The former rookie, who was elevated earlier in the season for fellow young gun Jack Grimes, was the catalyst that sparked Melbourne into clinching its first win for the year in round seven. Like Rioli, Wonaeamirri loves kicking a goal, and his exuberant celebrations thrilled fans as they watched the 19-year-old push the Demons in front late in the game. Has a terrific "wow" factor, has booted nine goals from his five games, and loves to lay a tackle in attack. 

ONES TO WATCH
There's always a group of players who can be considered unlucky to have gone unrecognised a few months in, and this season is no different.

Collingwood's Nathan Brown has put in a handful of solid performances while being asked to stand some of the biggest forwards in the league, with his best game coming against Fremantle in round one when he held Matthew Pavlich to a single goal. Has also faced off with Jonathan Brown, Matthew Richardson, Aaron Edwards, Matthew Lloyd and 'Buddy' Franklin, and is yet to be disgraced.

Fremantle has another potential soaring talent, with Garrick Ibbotson picking up 27 touches and booting a goal against Geelong in the nail-biter at Subiaco in round six. The 20-year-old has played four of his five senior games this year, and is averaging nearly 20 disposals a game.

And, who could forget Geelong's answer to Nathan Ablett's hiatus, Tom 'The Tomahawk' Hawkins? The 19-year-old, who was nominated in round three last year, entered this season under the required age of eligibility of 21 and with less than 10 games to his name. He kicked five goals in round three, and three the following week. While the big Cat dropped off against the Brisbane Lions, you'd expect him to pick his form up again considering the quality service he'll continue to get from the midfield.

There's also emerging stars such as Kurt Tippett (Adelaide), Matthew Kreuzer (Carlton), Craig Bird (Sydney), Brisbane Lions' Matthew Leuenberger and his teammate Lachlan Henderson who could find themselves in the running before the season's out.

While history might claim the odds are against them, there's still some hope for these young stars as well as the other 15 players still to receive 'that' call from the AFL on Monday morning to alert them of their nomination.

In 1996, former West Coast champion Ben Cousins came from a round 12 recognition to claim the prize. Five years later in 2001, Saints’ ruckman Justin Koschitzke won the award after a round 14 nomination, and as recently as 2005, Richmond forward Brett Deledio was the recipient following his round eight selection.