EMERGING Fremantle defender Heath Chapman is the NAB AFL Rising Star nominee for round eight.
The 20-year-old arrived at Fremantle via pick No.14 in the 2020 NAB AFL Draft after impressing for West Perth where he captained the colts side, winning their best and fairest.
The 193cm defender caught the eye of recruiters with his ability to lock down the opposition's key forward whilst also displaying his intercepting prowess. The youngster exhibited his elite aerobic capacity as he ran the fastest 2km time trial at the 2020 WA draft combine testing.
RISING STAR HUB Check out all the nominees
He played an integral role across half back in the Dockers' 78-point thrashing of North Melbourne at Optus Stadium on Friday night, collecting 25 disposals, 12 intercept possessions, five marks and used the ball at 92 per cent efficiency.
Hailing from the Joondalup Kinross Junior Football Club, Chapman made his debut in last season's win over the Giants in round two.
Chapman, 20, now in his second season at Fremantle, has established himself as an integral part of the Dockers' defensive unit, which has currently conceded the least points this season as they have soared to second on the AFL ladder.
This is not the first time the young defender's name has been up in lights this season. In Fremantle's round one win over Adelaide, Chapman produced a remarkable game-saving spoil in the dying seconds to help seal a memorable one-point victory.
The Western Australian product has averaged 19 disposals, 6.8 intercept possessions, 5.7 marks per game, while using the ball at 86 per cent disposal efficiency in his six games this season.
