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
8. Jhye Clark
No pressure at all was placed on this kid when he was dubbed 'the next Joel Selwood'...
Clark managed just one game in his maiden season, playing as the substitute against Richmond in Round 9 last year. The youngster was taken with the eighth pick in the 2022 draft as a classy midfielder.
Without much proof in the AFL, it's tough to tell where Clark will end up in the Geelong side this year.
Of course, the Cats' playing group is getting older, however, saying this in the past has backfired drastically at times. His draft stats speak for themselves, a certified 'gun' in the latter stage of his junior years, the 19-year-old may just break out this season.
