It's that time of year when things start to ramp up. The 2024 AFL season is getting closer and closer, and with that, plenty of eyes will be on the new recruits in the AFL.

Arguably the most talked about draftee in years, every AFL fan is eagerly awaiting Harley Reid's debut. The young star is already a household name and fans cannot wait.

To recognise these new recruits, the Rising Star Award will be presented to the best young player in the 2024 season. With that being said, a player doesn't need to be in their first year of football. The player must simply be 21 years of age or under as of January 1 this year and have played a maximum of ten senior AFL games prior to the new season's commencement.

In this list of nine possible winners, four are brand-new AFL recruits, whilst the other five have been in the competition for at least a year.

Note:ย The players listed are in no particular order, simply the nine potential winners we've selected.
READ: FULL LIST OF 2024 RISING STAR ELIGIBLE PLAYERS

3. Elijah Tsatas

The fifth pick in the 2022 draft, Elijah Tsatas made his long-awaited debut in Round 21 against the Eagles last season.

He ended up playing the final four games of the season, averaging just over 16 possessions per game.

Clean with the footy in hand and through traffic, Tsatas impressed in his mere four games last season with several influential moves for the Dons.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 04: Charlie Lazzaro of North Melbourne chases Elijah Tsatas of Essendon during the round 11 VFL match between Essendon Bombers and North Melbourne Kangaroos at The Hangar on June 04, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

With the ability to be a goalscoring midfielder, much to Essendon's pleasure, Tsatas finds himself as a top pick for the Rising Star.