Basketball
AFL
Cricket
Horse Racing
NRL
Soccer
Tennis
All Sports
American Football
Boxing
Betting Masterclass
eSports
Golf
Greyhounds
Motor Sport
Rugby Union
UFC / MMA
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
#AD 18+ T&Cs Apply Imagine what you could be buying instead. For free & confidential support call 180 0858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
AFL Rising Star 2026 | Odds, Nominees & Betting Tips
The AFL Rising Star award recognises the best young talent in the competition each season. At BettingPro, we track Rising Star odds, nominees and betting tips throughout the 2026 Toyota AFL Premiership.
AFL Rising Star 2026: Final Votes
Jagga Smith won the 2026 Rising Star, the award he had led since his Round 1 nomination. A top-three 2024 draft pick who missed all of 2025 with a knee injury, which kept his eligibility, he broke Carlton’s record for disposals in a maiden home-and-away season and polled 54 votes, one short of the maximum. He is Carlton’s second winner, after Sam Walsh also polled 54 in 2019.
| Player | Club | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Jagga Smith | Carlton | 54 |
| Harry Dean | Carlton | 39 |
| Willem Duursma | West Coast Eagles | 29 |
| Cooper Trembath | North Melbourne | 28 |
The market had Smith a short-priced favourite for most of the season, with the No.1 draft pick Willem Duursma the main danger. Harry Dean, the late market mover, finished second.
2026 AFL Rising Star Nominees
Every 2026 AFL Rising Star nominee, round by round from Opening Round through Round 19.
| Round | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Opening Round | Leo Lombard | Gold Coast Suns |
| 1 | Jagga Smith | Carlton |
| 2 | Jobe Shanahan | West Coast Eagles |
| 3 | Willem Duursma | West Coast Eagles |
| 4 | Cooper Trembath | North Melbourne |
| 5 | Jacob Farrow | Essendon |
| 6 | Phoenix Gothard | GWS Giants |
| 7 | Sam Grilj | Richmond |
| 8 | Jack Whitlock | Port Adelaide |
| 9 | Sullivan Robey | Essendon |
| 10 | Josh Lindsay | West Coast Eagles |
| 11 | Patrick Retschko | Richmond |
| 12 | Harry Dean | Carlton |
| 13 | Cooper Hynes | Western Bulldogs |
| 14 | Jasper Alger | Richmond |
| 15 | Jai Murray | Gold Coast Suns |
| 16 | Ty Gallop | Brisbane Lions |
| 17 | Zeke Uwland | Gold Coast Suns |
| 18 | Riley Hamilton | GWS Giants |
| 19 | Dyson Sharp | Essendon |
Nominees are added each round through the season. For weekly analysis, see our AFL betting hub.
How the AFL Rising Star Works
The AFL Rising Star award is presented to the best young player in the AFL each season. To be eligible, a player must be under 21 years of age as of January 1 of the current season and have played fewer than 10 senior games before the season started.
Each round, a nominee is selected based on outstanding performance. At the end of the season, a panel of judges votes to determine the overall winner from the pool of nominees.
The award was first presented in 1993 and has launched the careers of some of the AFL’s biggest stars.
Rising Star Betting Markets
Winner: Bet on which nominee will be crowned the overall Rising Star for the season.
Round Nominee: Some bookmakers offer markets on who will be nominated as Rising Star for each round.
Best Bookmakers for AFL Rising Star Betting
All major Australian bookmakers offer AFL Rising Star betting markets throughout the season. Our top picks:
#AD 18+ T&Cs Apply Imagine what you could be buying instead. For free & confidential support call 180 0858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
#AD 18+ T&Cs Apply Imagine what you could be buying instead. For free & confidential support call 180 0858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
Exclusive 365AUCODE referral code: bet365 does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers.18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
- OnlyBets
- Dabble — Social betting, share and copy bets
- Picklebet — Great odds and same game multi builders
- Ladbrokes — Deep markets and live streaming
- BetNow
- Neds — Competitive odds and user-friendly app
- bet365 — Widest market range globally
For a full comparison, check our best betting sites in Australia guide.
Recent AFL Rising Star Winners
| Year | Player | Team |
| 2026 | Jagga Smith | Carlton |
| 2025 | Murphy Reid | Fremantle |
| 2024 | Oliver Dempsey | Geelong Cats |
| 2023 | Harry Sheezel | North Melbourne |
| 2022 | Nick Daicos | Collingwood |
| 2021 | Luke Jackson | Melbourne |
| 2020 | Caleb Serong | Fremantle |
| 2019 | Sam Walsh | Carlton |
| 2018 | Jaidyn Stephenson | Collingwood |
| 2017 | Andrew McGrath | Essendon |
AFL Rising Star FAQs
Who won the 2026 AFL Rising Star?
Jagga Smith (Carlton), with 54 of a possible 55 votes, ahead of Harry Dean (Carlton, 39), Willem Duursma (West Coast, 29) and Cooper Trembath (North Melbourne, 28).
What are the eligibility criteria for the Rising Star?
Players must be under 21 as of January 1 of the season and have played fewer than 10 senior AFL games before the season started.
When is the Rising Star winner announced?
The winner is announced at the AFL Awards, usually in late August or September, alongside the other major individual awards.
Can a player be nominated more than once?
A player can only be nominated once per season, but they can be nominated in multiple seasons if they remain eligible.
Where can I find Rising Star betting tips?
BettingPro.com.au tracks Rising Star nominees and odds throughout the AFL season. Check our AFL hub for coverage.