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

Year

Round

Nominee

2012

2

Jeremy Cameron

2012

5

Tomas Bugg

2012

7

Stephen Coniglio

2012

10

Dylan Shiel

2012

14

Toby Greene

2012

18

Adam Treloar

2012

19

Devon Smith

2012

23

Dom Tyson

2013

10

Lachie Whitfield

2013

17

Adam Tomlinson

2013

19

Zac Williams

2014

2

Josh Kelly

2014

18

Jonny Patton
2015 8
Cam McCarthy

2016 8
Jacob Hopper

2017 8
Tim Taranto

2018

17

Sam Taylor

2019

23

Brent Daniels

2020

4

Tom Green

2020

14

Jake Riccardi

2021

9

Tom Green

2021

23

Connor Idun

AFL Women's

Each year, the AFL Wome's season culminates with the W Awards, where the league recognises its best and fairest.

The NAB AFL Women's Rising Star Award is the highest honour for a young footballer – they must be under 21, and not suspended during the season. The award is decided by vote, by a panel of experts.

Year

Round

Nominee

2017

3

Erin McKinnon

2017

7

Nicola Barr

2018

1

Rebecca Beeson

2019

1

Alyce Parker

2019

7

Haneen Zreika

Season Seven

6

Emily Pease