It's been a debut campaign to behold for Harry Sheezel, who has turned heads in the AFL community since the opening round.
Deployed at half-back, the Sandringham Dragons product has proven a consistent and calming presence despite his inexperience, and dazzled with glimpses of his ability at the opposite end.
As the season winds down, the 18-year-old finds himself in what is being advertised as an extremely close race for the Rising Star Award, so NMFC Media has highlighted five performances that could get him over the line.
Round 1 v West Coast
It was Sheezel who caught the Rising Star selectors' attention first, with a debut that instantly showed he belonged at AFL level.
A key player in North Melbourne's eventual five-point win over the Eagles, he finished with a game-high 34 disposals, nine marks and 631 metres gained while playing off half-back – a role he mentioned he was relatively unfamiliar with earlier in the year.
His 34 disposals are the most disposals by a debutant in 32 years and places him third overall for the most disposals recorded by a first-game player behind Greg Williams (38) and Dean Greig (39).
Sheezel's impressive stat line and overall impact saw him rewarded with six AFL Coaches' Association Champion Player of the Year Award votes.
Round 2 v Fremantle
A week later against the Dockers in the west, Sheezel backed up his brilliant debut with 30 disposals (a team-high), nine rebound 50s and eight marks, and was a catalyst of the club's second win of the season.
Out of those 30 touches, arguably the most important came within the game's final 30 seconds when he showed experience beyond his years in cleverly toe-poking the ball along the boundary line rather than rushing a behind which would have levelled the scores.
Having helped his side over the line, he banked three more AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Award votes from North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson and Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir.
Round 4 v Carlton
Continuing his fine form early in the season, the 18-year-old claimed an incredible piece of history following his efforts in the Good Friday SuperClash against the Blues.
A game-high tally of 37 disposals took Sheezel to 127 in total, the most of any player after four career V/AFL games, clearing Mark Bairstow (121), Greg Williams (116), Michael Barlow (112) and Craig Bradley (111).
Eight score involvements and an equal game-high in metres gained (444) also contributed to the young gun receiving three more coaches' votes.
Round 10 v Sydney
Although the final result wasn’t to be for the Kangaroos, the club's Rising Star contender displayed the talent around goals that led to his selection at pick three in the 2022 AFL Draft.
He snapped two beauties against the Swans to take his career tally to three, with the second coming off his non-preferred boot after he crumbed a forward 50 stoppage to perfection.
If, or when, North Melbourne resolves to move him inside attacking 50 on a near-permanent basis, the evidence suggests he can become a big threat around the big sticks.
Round 23 v Richmond
Heading into the penultimate round of the year, Sheezel required just 19 touches to break a 33-year-old record for most disposals in a debut V/AFL home and away season.
The defender needed just over a half of football to tie the record, and he broke it two minutes into the third quarter, arrowing a characteristically pinpoint kick inside 50 which resulted in a goal to overtake Collingwood's Scott Russell in the history books.
He went on to equal his career-high tally of 37 possessions, among them 12 rebound 50s and eight intercept possessions, all at 86 per cent disposal efficiency.
