Alipate played a key role in Port’s 76-point win over North Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday.
The 21-year-old played all 22 games this season at full-back, taking on some of the biggest names in the competition including Barry Hall, Brendan Fevola and Jonathan Brown.
The tall defender played nine AFL games in 2007, including a qualifying final, but made room for veteran defender Darryl Wakelin for the remaining finals.
Alipate was recruited from the Wangaratta Rovers in country Victoria and the Murray Bushrangers. He was Port Adelaide’s third selection (44th overall) in the 2005 NAB AFL Draft.
Born in Lautoka, Fiji, Alipate plays alongside his second cousin David Rodan.
Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams said Alipate has matured into a key position player in 2008.
“Alipate has been an absolute shining light for us this season. He has come in after just a handful of games last year and basically been a straight replacement for a club legend in Darryl Wakelin.
“He is a great story, having been born in Fiji, and coming from country Victoria to us and developing so quickly into a reliable defender that the coaching staff now completely trusts with all the big jobs.
“As a full-back you don’t always get the accolades, particularly with the team losing a lot of games, but our club and our supporters have noticed him all year, and it’s fantastic that NAB and the AFL have also recognised him because he thoroughly deserves it,” Williams said.
Alipate is the Port Adelaide’s only NAB AFL Rising Star Nominee for 2008, following three nominees in 2007 and four nominees in 2006, the most of any club.
The winner of the NAB Rising Star will be awarded on Wednesday at a lunch-time ceremony in Melbourne.
