2026 AFL Rising Star
| 2026 AFL Rising Star | |
|---|---|
| Sponsored by | Telstra |
| Country | Australia |
The Telstra AFL Rising Star award is given annually to a standout young player in the Australian Football League (AFL). The winner also receives the Ron Evans Medal, named for the former AFL chairman.[1]
Eligibility
Every round, a nomination is given to a standout young player who performed well during that particular round. To be eligible for nomination, a player must be under 21 on 1 January of that year and have played ten or fewer senior games before the start of the season; a player who is suspended may be nominated, but is not eligible to win the award.[1]
Nominations
| ^ | Winner |
|---|---|
| * | Ineligible to win the Rising Star due to suspension. |
| Round | Player | Club | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Leo Lombard | Gold Coast | [2] |
| 1 | Jagga Smith | Carlton | [3] |
| 2 | Jobe Shanahan | West Coast | [4] |
References
- ^ a b "Rising Star History". afl.com.au. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
- ^ Whiting, Michael. "Sun shines bright to win first Rising Star nod of the season". afl.com.au. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
- ^ "Star me up: Jagga named Round 1 Telstra AFL Rising Star nominee". carltonfc.com.au. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
- ^ "Young Eagles forward locks in Rising Star nom after impressive display". 23 March 2026.