SO basically, we have to hope that the folks judging the Rising Star have a little more sense than to be sucked in by the hype and actually pay the award to the best performed young player rather than Little Nicky.

The folks judging have been told - this goes right to the top ! Nik Nat will get the nod this week.

Why do we even have judges for the rising star ? - if this is the case !

The folks judging have been told - this goes right to the top ! Nik Nat will get the nod this week.

Why do we even have judges for the rising star ? - if this is the case !

Not that dreamteam points are indicative of how a player played, but David Hille (who played on Nik Nat most of the game) got 114 points in a losing side. I watched the game and Naitanui did some VERY exciting things that no other player in the comp could do. But it would seem that overall he was unaccountable and/or unable to go with his opponent. Football is more than just doing the flashy. Every player has a role. If Essendon were a better side, this unaccountability could have cost the WCE. Not saying he isn't an excitement machine, or that he won't be a star of the comp, just commenting on a deficiency that he will have to rectify. However if he wins the nomination this week, it would not be undeserved.

And as for the continual criticism of our selection of Watts in every article about Naita, I say the media/everyone should relax. FCS the boy was the #2 draft pick. Did everyone think that because he was #2 that he wouldn't turn out to be a great player? They will BOTH be fantastic footballers. Just like Scully and Trengove will BOTH be fantastic footballers (and Dustin Martin for that matter). After all, they were ALL top draft picks.

And FWIW I still don't think you can say we made an error in selection for a number of years. For many reasons. One of which is that with Nik Nat I believe there would have been a 'go home' factor (just a vibe from his interviews), and another is that I think we need a reliable Reiwoldt (hopefully) type key forward more than a bloke who can do the extraordinary 10 times a game and then go missing for long periods. Jeff Farmer was an example of the latter. Could turn a game on its head in a 10 minute burst but remain unsighted for the rest of the game. Who would you rather in your team, Reiwoldt or Farmer (not the best comparison considerin it's a key fwd vs a small, but you get my drift). And of course, we are all yet to see Watts out on the field this year. The media should shut up and give the kid time.

the only reason Nik Nat is dominating is that Dean Cox is finished. On another note one of my friends bet me 20 dollars that Barlow will win Rising Star. Silly person

I am so glad the football smarts here at Demonland can see thru the dark skin, the dreadlocks and the hype and know that he really isn't very good at all. It's a shame that all the media outlets in the country that rave on about his ability and that gave him BOG on Friday bight aren't as clever as you lot.

the only reason Nik Nat is dominating is that Dean Cox is finished. On another note one of my friends bet me 20 dollars that Barlow will win Rising Star. Silly person

Ha. Very silly because Barlow is not eligible. You can collect now !

I am so glad the football smarts here at Demonland can see thru the dark skin, the dreadlocks and the hype and know that he really isn't very good at all.

He'll be a fine player. You're under selling him. B)

The rising star means nothing, Rivers won it a few years ago and is a very good player, but is he the best in the competition now he is a bit older, no he isn't. He's a good player but early form, especially in the first year, is not always indicative of future development. Nik Nat will be a good player but is he going to be better than Sculley or Trengove, I doubt it. He's flashy and looks the goods and will get lots of mentions in the media but will he be a star of the future or will he be one of those players that always comes up short in terms of achievement. We can't compare him to Watts at the moment, that may take a year or so.

Rising Star, spare me he got 13 possessions with 1 mark and 17 hitouts at 18% efficiency, that's not star material and who did he win most of his hitouts against. Was it Hille coming back from injury or Ryder who isn't even really a ruckman. I'll take Sculley's game any day ahead of that.

I like Nik Nat, he seems like a nice guy and he is great fun to watch, but I feel he's being rated on the player he will be, rather than the player that he is.

I am so glad the football smarts here at Demonland can see thru the dark skin, the dreadlocks and the hype and know that he really isn't very good at all.

I dunno about that...

But he is certainly not as good as commentators are making him out to be. There's a half a dozen players who had better second seasons.

NN will be absolutely outstanding - no doubt in the world. Let's keep both our eyes open.

Scully for me. Played a blinder!

Niknat gets the nod

I'm guessing that no-one who is questioning NN's ability watched him on Friday night then?

My god, he is talented. Looks every bit a top 2 draft pick. Will be an absolute superstar if he stays fit.

I'm guessing that no-one who is questioning NN's ability watched him on Friday night then?

My god, he is talented. Looks every bit a top 2 draft pick. Will be an absolute superstar if he stays fit.

I don't think that anyone is questioning his ability to become a star of the future, but in the cold hard light of day it's not how good you look it's how good you are and I don't think he was that good the other night. If the Rising Star award is for how good you look they should get the top chances to line up on a cat walk and get Tyra Banks to choose the winner.

I don't think that anyone is questioning his ability to become a star of the future, but in the cold hard light of day it's not how good you look it's how good you are and I don't think he was that good the other night. If the Rising Star award is for how good you look they should get the top chances to line up on a cat walk and get Tyra Banks to choose the winner.

Well I disagree. I thought he played superbly the other night.

I like Nik Nat, he seems like a nice guy and he is great fun to watch, but I feel he's being rated on the player he will be, rather than the player that he is.

We have a winner.

Doesn't matter today though, cos NicNat got the nod.

Looks like Demetriou's text message did the trick.

(assuming the heraldsun didn't just make that up... which is an un-wise assumption.)

Doesn't matter today though, cos NicNat got the nod.

Looks like Demetriou's text message did the trick.

(assuming the heraldsun didn't just make that up... which is an un-wise assumption.)

I'm a little surprised that not much has been said on this.

Weighing in and telling the panel who to nominate. I'd be surprised if Scott Gullan would make that up. Even more surprised that the big wigs at the AFL are being monitored like this.

Gullan obviously wanted to highlight that nominations can be influenced (as it allegedly has in this case)...which I think is wrong. Why appoint a panel to assess the candidates for nomination week by week in the first place .... ?

If it is true, I'd love to know how Gullan got his hands on this info?

Whose trust did he betray by putting it in print??

Surely there can only be a few who had access to this info.

Couldn't imagine them happily giving him info in the future.

Demetriou would likely be [censored] off.

But what is the actual criteria for the Rising Star?

Is it the best player? The one that shows the most potential?

The one most likely to become a star?

It's all so vague that it hardly matters.

Demetriou would likely be [censored] off.

No doubt.

The current criteria might be who arouses the CEO the most on a weekly basis.

Surely Bail wasn't a legit shot - you're not going to get a nom with 13 disposals as a flanker-type unless you've also done something special. I don't even think he was Melbourne's most worthy versus Richmond.

If he finds a bit more of the ball and kicks a few goals I wouldn't be shocked to see him nab (geddit?) one later in the year though.

Well I disagree. I thought he played superbly the other night.

Funny thing. I look at those two passages of play that have people so worked up and I see a guy fumbling, fetching his fumble, missing a target, fetching the ball again and then in desperation thumping it long. It's to his great credit that he was able to keep winning the ball back, but let's face it, none of those disposals were worthy of a first round draftee. He wins a hitout which dribbles down his body to land on the ground at his feet, he attempts to handpass and it goes all of a metre, missing all targets along the way and he thumps a blind kick into the fifty which happens to result in a goal. None of this is good play, although it did serve to showcase his freakish physical attributes as he bullocked his way through tacklers and teammates alike.

Surely Bail wasn't a legit shot - you're not going to get a nom with 13 disposals as a flanker-type unless you've also done something special. I don't even think he was Melbourne's most worthy versus Richmond.

If he finds a bit more of the ball and kicks a few goals I wouldn't be shocked to see him nab (geddit?) one later in the year though.

bail is to old for rising star

I am so glad the football smarts here at Demonland can see thru the dark skin, the dreadlocks and the hype and know that he really isn't very good at all. It's a shame that all the media outlets in the country that rave on about his ability and that gave him BOG on Friday night aren't as clever as you lot.

HINT: I was being sarcastic.

I'm guessing that no-one who is questioning NN's ability watched him on Friday night then?

My god, he is talented. Looks every bit a top 2 draft pick. Will be an absolute superstar if he stays fit.

Glad to see someone else here can see how good NikNat is already. Take off your Red and Blue glasses people, RM in particular.