WAFL players top NAB AFL Rising Star AwardThursday, September 10, 2015 - 11:30 AM

WAFL Players claimed the top three places in the NAB AFL Rising Star Award announced by the AFL.

Claremont’s Jesse Hogan took out the 2015 Award playing for Melbourne with 49 votes ahead of East Fremantle’s Patrick Cripps (41 votes - Carlton) and Subiaco’s Dom Sheed (27 votes - West Coast).

Hogan went to Melbourne via GWS as 17-year-old in 2012; he was selection two. He was recruited from Claremont and played his junior football at Marist Junior Football Club.

Cripps was recruited from East Fremantle by Carlton with the 13th selection in the 2013 AFL National Draft, while Sheed was selected by West Coast from Subiaco at number 11 the same year.

All three players were also part of the WAFL State Academy program and starred for WA in the State 18s National Championships.

WAFL Talent Manager Raff Guadagnino said all three were highly deserving of the honour as recognition for their hard work and commitment.

“All three of these players were identified as being very talented at an early age and have come through the WAFL talent pathway and their WAFL Clubs. We are extremely proud of their progress and recognition today,” he said.

Hogan joins past WAFL winners of the award Rhys Palmer (Fremantle/East Fremantle) 2008, Daniel Rich (Brisbane/Subiaco) 2009 and Jaeger O’Meara (Gold Coast/Perth) 2013, making four of the last eight winners WAFL products.  

Of the 2015 nominees, Hogan was ranked number one with the most marks (134) and goals (44). He averaged 2.2 goals per match and topped Melbourne's 2015 goal-kicking. 

He finished the home and away season 14th on the AFL goal-kicking ladder and ranked third in the AFL averaging 2.4 contested marks per match.