HAWTHORN'S Jacob Koschitzke has been rewarded for his starring performance against Adelaide with the round six NAB AFL Rising Star nomination.
Koschitzke booted five goals in the Hawks' thrilling three-point win over the Crows in Launceston on Sunday, with the 20-year-old pipping debutant Riley Thilthorpe for this week's nomination.
Koschitzke, who began his career as a defender, trained as a forward in the off-season and showed he could be a force with a six-goal haul against North Melbourne in the AAMI Community Series.
After a lean start to the year with just two goals from four games, he exploded with three in the first term against Adelaide before finishing with 5.3 from 14 possessions and nine marks.
At the opposite end, No.2 draft pick Thilthorpe also nailed five goals in a super impressive debut.
Koschitzke was taken with pick No.52 at the 2018 NAB AFL Draft from the Murray Bushrangers in the NAB League. He made his AFL debut in round one against Essendon and has played every game this season.
He was rated among one of the best big men in the 2018 draft after a strong year of NAB League football before representing the Allies at the 2018 Under-18 Championships where he was named full-back in the 2018 All-Australian side.
Koschitzke is the cousin of former St Kilda forward Justin, who won the NAB AFL Rising Star in 2001.
