The AFL has stood firm against changing the rules around the eligibility of the Rising Star, and ergo the Brownlow, as favourites Harley Reid and Sam Darcy have been ruled out following suspensions.
Reid - who was taken with Pick 1 in last year's National Draft - has been a sensation for West Coast in his first 10 games in the league, rising to clear favouritism to take out the coveted best young player award in the competition.
West Coast will challenge Harley Reid's two-match suspension for rough conduct at the Tribunal. pic.twitter.com/MgnAy4gKdn
โ AFL (@AFL) June 3, 2024
However, following a dangerous tackle - that is set to be contested at the Tribunal on Tuesday evening - the Tongala product now finds himself out of the Rising Star race as he faces time on the sidelines.
The same can be said for Western Bulldogs unicorn Sam Darcy, who accepted his two-match suspension for his late bump on Collingwood's Brayden Maynard.
Calls for the AFL to remove the 'fairest' part of the equation have come ten-fold, but AFL Football boss Laura Kane has ruled out any prospect of change for this year and beyond.
"I can categorically rule out the eligibility criteria for Rising Star changing," Kane said on AFL Media's Extra Footy Feed.
"Notwithstanding the outcomes of the incidents over the weekend โ one is being contested albeit on an outcome that would still see Harley miss a game of football โ it's not something we're looking at."
Since its inception in 1993 when Brisbane Bear's Nathan Buckley (Yes, the same one who went to Collingwood) won the inaugural award, there has been three occasions when deserving players weren't able to accept the award giving their indiscretions on the field.
Sam Darcy has been handed a two-match suspension following this incident involving Brayden Maynard. pic.twitter.com/ofx0Fazg2j
โ AFL (@AFL) June 1, 2024
The following year, North Melbourne great Corey McKernan missed out on the 1994 Rising Star, while Richmond's Dustin Martin (2010) and GWS' Toby Greene (2012) lived a similar fate.
Despite the change in emphasis on certain rules players abide by, including dangerous tackles and high bumps, Kane still ruled out any change to the law.
"No, it's not (something the AFL will consider changing in the future)," Kane said.
"There are plenty of other awards that those players can win; the best first-year player is an example, but not the Brownlow or the Rising Star."
