The race for the AFLW Rising Star Award has begun, with the league's best emerging talent set to stake their claim for the honours.
The 2022 season is set to see one of the competition's best and brightest young guns join Ebony Marinoff, Chloe Molloy, Madison Prespakis, Isabel Huntington and Tyla Hanks in having claimed the award.
Each week two of the AFLW's most promising players will be nominated for their standout performances.
Players under 21 years of age on 1 January 2022 and not suspended during the season are eligible for the award.
SEE: Entire history of AFLW Rising Star nominations, including season seven nominations
Round 1
The 20-year-old Roo amassed a strong start to her third season at Arden Street, collecting 14 touches, laying four tackles and booting a goal in the win over Geelong.
In what was a highly-anticipated debut match for the No.2 overall selection of last year's draft, Prespakis failed to disappoint, playing a leading role in midfield to record 20 disposals.
Round 2
A two-goal effort against Richmond saw Alyssa Bannan earn her nomination early into the season. The 19-year-old played a key role in attack for the Demons, who were able to claim a 16-point win over the in-form Tigers.
Charlie Rowbottom (Gold Coast)
In the Suns' drought-breaking victory overt West Coast Rowbottom was among several standouts, with her pressure seen as a major factor in the win. The teenager laid 12 tackles in just her second game in the AFLW.
Round 3
Zimmorlei Farquharson (Brisbane)
The Lions half-forward has quickly become a key figure in Brisbane's front third, with her Round 3 outing against the Blues a standout performance. The talented teenager booted one goal from her 12 possessions.
Following Bannan's nomination from the week prior, Fitzsimon made it two successive nods for Melbourne following her impressive outing against St Kilda. The Bairnsdale product collected 11 disposals and booted one major in the win.
Round 4
Despite the five-goal loss to North Melbourne, Keeley Sherar was among the best for the Blues. The crafty forward collected 19 possessions and four marks to earn her nomination.
12 touches and three marks was enough to see Verrier land a Rising Star nomination in the Dockers' hammering over the Magpies in Round 4. The 19-year-old looks in good stead in her second season at Cockburn.
Round 5
Hill's return to the top flight was a warm welcome for the Blues, with their promising young star collecting 26 possessions against the Crows to go along with five marks and four tackles.
In the same game as Hill, McKinnon also came away from the match with a Rising Star nomination to go with some bragging rights. The Crows ruck recorded 12 disposals, 12 hit-outs and seven marks in the 39-point win.
Round 6
A three-goal haul against the Blues saw Morrison claim her nomination for the year, having led all goalscorers in Saturday's emphatic win back on home soil. The crafty forward also recorded 13 disposals and laid five tackles.
16 touches, six tackles and one goal saw the Suns' longest-serving player feature significantly in their third win of the season to now move into a positive win-loss record. Hampson has continued to piece together a strong season to be among several young Suns players eyeing Rising Star honours.
Round 7
Elisabeth Georgostathis (Western Bulldogs)
23 touches and a goal against the Cats was enough for the emerging Bulldog to secure her Rising Star nomination for 2022. The 20-year-old was also able to record six tackles in the two-goal win.
Isabella Eddey (North Melbourne)
The young Roos onballer amassed 16 possessions in her side's 38-15 victory over the Magpies on Sunday, with the Shinboners adding to their red-hot run of form. Eddey's nomination comes after an impressive start to her second season in the AFLW.
Round 8ย
The blossoming hybrid threat save her greatest performance for the season for the top-of-the-table battle with Fremantle last Saturday. While proving able to 12.7 disposals across her opening seven games of the season, the 19-year-old recorded 18 disposals and four clearances.
Always busy when the ball hits the ground, James proved deadly during the Pies' win over the Dogs with 14 disposals, a goal and five score involvements. The Oakleigh Chargers product has recorded means of 8.4 disposals and 2.5 tackles each week.
