The trophy for the AFL Rising Star Award. Picture: AFL Photos

THE AFL Rising Star Award was initiated in 1993 to recognise talented young players in the AFL competition.

After each round of the home and away season, a player is nominated as the weekly AFL Rising Star.

At the end of the season, a player is selected as the winner from the group of 24 players who were nominated. The winner of the AFL Rising Star award will receive the Ron Evans Medal.

>> List of AFL players eligible for the 2023 AFL Rising Star Award

Selection criteria:

  • A player must be under 21 years of age (1st January 2023) and played 10 or fewer games before the 2023 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
  • In general, a player judged to have played the best individual game of the round is to be the basis of the weekly nomination.
  • When several players are judged to have played at a reasonably similar level, previous rounds and year to date performances are then taken into account.
  • The priority is to have the best-performed 23 players nominated by the end of the season for consideration for the overall award. Therefore, in later rounds, year-to-date performances will be allocated increasing weight relative to performances in the round.

Weekly Selection Panel for 2023 AFL Rising Star:
Kevin Sheehan (Chairperson), Nathan Buckley, Jude Bolton, Kane Cornes, and Abbey Holmes.
 
Selectors will monitor all AFL matches noting 182 players across AFL lists are eligible for the award with one to be recognised each round.
 
2023 All Australian Selection Panel:

Laura Kane and Matthew Pavlich have joined the All Australian Selection Panel for the upcoming 2023 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
 
The AFL would like to thank Nick Riewoldt and Brad Scott for their dedication and time as selectors over previous seasons. 

All Australian Selection Panel:

Gillon McLachlan (Chairperson), Kevin Bartlett, Jude Bolton, Nathan Buckley, Kane Cornes, Andrew Dillon, Glen Jakovich, Chris Johnson, Laura Kane (new in 2023), Cameron Ling, Matthew Pavlich (new in 2023), and Kevin Sheehan (AFL Rising Star only).

At the conclusion of the home and away season, each selector shall nominate the five best-performed eligible players from the weekly nominees based on their performance during the home and away matches.