Hawthorn defender Ben Stratton might not have had the headlines afforded to Fremantle’s Michael Barlow and Geelong’s James Podsiadly, but he has achieved something that those two can’t - a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination.
Stratton was just eligible for the award, having turned 21 on March 1 this year. The cut-off was December 31.
Since he was drafted from East Perth with selection 46 at last year’s NAB AFL Draft, Stratton has not looked back, playing 12 of a possible 14 games for the Hawks.
After a series of solid performances in the back half for the Hawks, Stratton was rewarded with a rising star nomination after his 19-possession game against the Western Bulldogs in round 14.
The West Australian native has quickly become a valuable part of the Hawthorn defence, and coach Alastair Clarkson has seen no need to hold him back, giving him some tough tasks such as dual Brownlow Medallist Adam Goodes.
"I’m definitely getting more confidence. I got thrown down the challenge pretty early in the week and set my sights on Goodes. I don’t mind getting a challenge each week. Every game I play, I’m getting more confident," he said after the win against the Swans.
Stratton is the latest addition to a growing contingent of Hawks to have been recruited from Western Australia. Speaking after his first AFL pre-season, he says having his fellow Sandgropers around him helped him settle in to life on the other side of the country.
"I sort of knew of 'Mossy' (Garry Moss) and Jarryd Morton. I had mates back home who are good mates with those blokes. Also, I played against Jarrod Kayler-Thomson in the WAFL," he said.
"It made it easier that I had a link with those guys. It was easy to become mates with them and build relationships as fellow WA boys."
Clarkson said the Hawks had been really pleased with Stratton's contribution in his first season.
"For a player who has only played 12 games of AFL football, his maturity and reliability have been outstanding down back and this nomination is a great recognition of his hard work, attitude and willingness to learn," he said.
