North Melbourne's Round 1 debutant Harry Sheezel is among 11 Kangaroos in contention for this year's AFL Rising Star Award.

Sheezel, 18, will run out in Saturday's season-opener against West Coast at Marvel Stadium four months after the Roos selected him with pick No.3 in last year's NAB AFL Draft.   

Among the Kangaroos also competing for the 2023 Rising Star Award is Sheezel's fellow draft classmate George Wardlaw, who is eyeing a much-anticipated playing return after a draft year blighted by injury.

The club also has a host of second-year and third-year players in the running for this year's award. Josh Goater, Jackson Archer and Miller Bergman from North Melbourne's 2021 draft class remain eligible, while 2020 draft selections Eddie Ford and Phoenix Spicer, and 2021 mid-season addition Jacob Edwards, tick off the criteria.

The Rising Star Award recognises the AFL's most talented young players, with one player nominated as the weekly Rising Star after each round of the home-and-away season. 

At the end of the season, the All Australian selection panel chooses the winner from the 24 nominees.

Byron Pickett, who took home the award in 1998, remains North Melbourne's only Rising Star winner to date.

North Melbourne's 2023 Rising Star Contenders