The AFL Rising Star Award was instituted in 1993 to recognise and encourage talented young players in the AFL.

One nominee is chosen each week during the home-and-away season. At the end of the season a panel of experts votes for the winner. In 2007, the AFL Rising Star Award was named in memory of former AFL Commission Chairman Ron Evans and the winner receives the Ron Evans Medal.

To be eligible for the AFL Rising Star Award, each year's nominated players must be under the age of 21 at 1 January and have played no more than 10 AFL games to the start of that season. They must not have been suspended by the AFL or State League tribunals during the season (as with the Brownlow Medal, players found guilty of certain offences and fined or reprimanded by the Tribunal remain eligible to win the award).

AFL

AFL Women's

Each year, the AFLW season culminates with the W Awards, where the league recognises its best and fairest player as well as celebrating a host of other special achievements.

One of those awards is the AFLW Rising Star Award- the highest honour for a young footballer in the competition.

The AFLW Rising Star award is given to the best young player in the AFLW during the home-and-away season. 

To be eligible for nomination, a player must meet the following criteria: 

• Be under 21 years old on January 1 of the year 
• Have played 10 or fewer AFL games before the start of the season 
• Not have been suspended by the AFL or State League tribunals during the season 
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At the end of the season, a panel of nine AFL/W personalities vote for the winner.The top selection receives five votes, the second selection receives four votes, and so on. The player with the most votes wins the award. 

In 2023, GIANTS young gun Zarlie Goldsworthy became the club's inaugural winner of either the AFL or AFLW Rising Star Award  following a brilliant second season.