Essendon’s Rising Star award goes to a player who shows an ability to adapt to life in the AFL. Candidates are judged on their physical and mental resilience as well as their on-field performance.
The winner must also be in his first two years at the Club.
Join us on our night of nights and secure your ticket for the 2016 Crichton Medal here.
Contenders:
Darcy Parish:
Parish joined the Club with high expectations after being taken with pick number 5 in the 2015 National Draft. The youngster has blown those expectations out of the water to produce a memorable debut season. Playing in all bar two games, the 19-year old has kept up with the demands of senior football and made a name for himself as one of the best first year players in the AFL. League wide recognition of his ability came early in the season, when he received the NAB Rising Star nomination for his efforts against Melbourne.
Key Stats – 2016:
Age - 19
Games – 19
Goals – 6
Avg. Disposals – 20.6
D.E – 73.7%
Avg. Contested Possessions – 8.8
Avg. Score Involvements – 4.2
Kyle Langford:
Langford entered his second year at the Bombers having clearly benefitted from a full pre-season. Fitter, faster and stronger the 19-year old had his first taste of the midfield during Essendon’s NAB Challenge campaign, as the coaches sought to build up his experience around the ground. Langford has shown versatility in 2016, able to play both off the half-back line and as a target up forward. His athleticism is one of his greatest strengths and allows him to follow the play with ease. While consistency has been an issue at times, Langford benefitted immensely from the additional chances he was given at a senior level.
Key Stats – 2016
Age - 19
Games – 16 (8 in 2015)
Goals – 9 (3 in 2015)
Avg. Disposals – 15.4 (8 in 2015)
D.E – 77.2% (75% in 2015)
Avg. Contested Possessions – 4.8 (3.4 in 2015)
Avg. Score Involvements – 4.4 (3.4 in 2015)
Conor McKenna:
After making his debut late last year in the forward line, McKenna spent the early part of the season refining his game with Essendon VFL. Here, he was given time in a variety of positions before finding his place playing off the half-back line. The position suited his natural game and encouraged his athletic ability. The Irishman is a natural with the ball in hand, and it is often easy to forget that he is only in his second year of playing the game. McKenna has definitely benefitted from not only the shift down back, but also his most consistent run of games so far in his career.
Key Stats – 2016:
Age – 20
Games Played – 11 (2 in 2015)
Avg. Disposals – 13.5 (11 in 2015)
Avg. Disposal Efficiency – 76% (72.7% in 2015)
Goals – 3
Jayden Laverde:
The other of the team’s 2014 draftees, Jayden Laverde, was looking primed for a big year in 2016. However, injury dealt the youngster a number of blows – seeing him sidelined for a large portion of the year. Fighting hard to make his way back into the side, the 19-year old got a solid run in the senior side over the second half of the season and gave glimpses of what the future holds. Playing predominantly in the forward line, Laverde’s strength and strong marking was one of the many positives he brought to the team. He also showed greater depth to his game, pushing up the ground and into the midfield.
Key Stats - 2016:
Age - 19
Games – 8 (9 in 2015)
Goals – 7 (5 in 2015)
Avg. Disposals – 11.9 (13 in 2015)
Avg. Contested Possessions – 4.3 (3.9 in 2015)
Avg. Score Involvements – 4.1 (3.4 in 2015)
Avg. Marks – 4.5 (3.6 in 2015)
