Former Northern Knights speedster Jack Petruccelle was nominated for the NAB AFL Rising Star award following a five-goal haul in a losing cause for West Coast in Round 5.

The 185cm 20-year-old booted his five majors from 18 disposals and seven marks in the Eagles’ surprise 42-point loss to Port Adelaide at Optus Stadium on Friday night.

 

Petruccelle was selected by West Coast with pick no.38 at the 2017 AFL Draft after booting 14 goals in 16 games for the Knights that season.

The Epping (Northern FNL) product committed to football in 2016 after previously balancing it with an elite junior basketball career, with his line-breaking pace and high leap instantly seeing him stand out in fitness testing and two appearances for Northern as a bottom-ager.

Petruccelle made his AFL debut in Round 6 of the 2018 season and went on to play three home-and-away games for last year’s premiers. In five matches so far in 2019, he’s averaging 12 disposals, five marks and almost two goals per game.

Petruccelle joins Geelong’s Charlie Constable (ex-Sandringham Dragons) and Carlton’s Sam Walsh (Geelong Falcons) as former Victorian U18 Boys players to be nominated for the AFL Rising Star award in 2019.