North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos’ youngsters Tess Craven, Taylah Gatt, Charli Granville and Cassidy Mailer are among those in contention for this year’s AFLW Rising Star Award.

The Rising Star Award recognises the AFLW’s most talented young players, with two players nominated as the weekly Rising Star nominees after each round of the home and away season.

At the end of the season, the All-Australian selection panel will choose the winner from the 20 nominees.

Craven, 19, has played 14 games since making her debut in 2022 Season 6, while Gatt, 18, and Granville, 19, have played 13 and four games respectively since both debuting in 2022 Season 7.

Mailer, 19, will hope to make her AFLW debut in 2023 after an injury interrupted first season.

Previously, players were ineligible to be nominated if they had been nominated previously, irrespective of how many matches they had played. However, this year the AFL has confirmed changes to the eligibility criteria to add depth to the Rising Star pool and provide scope for those players who had limited exposure to the AFLW system during Season 7 due to balancing school commitments.

Players will be eligible to be nominated for the Rising Star award if:

- They are under the age of 21 on 31 December; and
- Have not previously been nominated for the Rising Star award unless they have played a total of 10 or less matches at the beginning of the season, and;
- Have not previously won the AFLW Rising Star award.

Former AFLW player Katie Loynes and commentator Jason Bennett have joined the both the AFLW All-Australian Selection Panel and AFLW Rising Star Nomination Panel this season, while AFL talent ambassador Kevin Sheehan OAM and AFL.com.au reporter and ABC Grandstand analyst Gemma Bastiani have also joined the latter.

All-Australian Panel
Nicole Livingstone (Chair)
Andrew Dillon
Laura Kane
Jason Bennett
Kelli Underwood
Sarah Black
Katie Loynes
Narelle Smith
Megan Waters

Rising Star Nomination Panel
Nicole Livingstone (Chair)
Andrew Dillon
Laura Kane
Kevin Sheehan
Lou Caluzzi
Gemma Bastiani
Jason Bennett
Katie Loynes

The 2023 NAB AFLW Season kicks off on September 1, with tickets for Rounds 1 – 9 on sale now. Tickets can be purchased via the ticketing link next to each Kangaroos game here, as well as at womens.afl/tickets and the AFLW App via the match centre.