‘No one’s played better’... but he may not win AFL’s ultimate young gun gong — State of Play

As the 2025 AFL home-and-away season draws to a close, the race for the AFL’s annual Rising Star award is heating up quickly.

Some of the league’s best current players in Nick Daicos, Luke Jackson, Caleb Serong, Jesse Hogan and Harry Sheezel are all past recipients for the achievement, and will be joined once more by another emerging talent come season’s end.

In the latest episode of the Midweek Tackle digital-only show ‘Tackle The Headline’, Herald Sun reporters Lauren Wood and Jon Ralph, as well as Fox Footy commentator Corbin Middlemas, analyse the biggest players in this year’s race for the highly-touted award.

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Read their analysis on the award’s leading contenders below

LEVI ASHCROFT

Corbin Middlemas says: “He’s been the favourite most of the way through, so Levi Ashcroft’s going to get my vote ... I feel like Levi across the course of the year has put together the best body of work. He’s pretty much been the outright favourite the whole way through, if not for a couple of (other) late charges.

Levi Ashcroft of the Lions warms up ahead of the 2025 AFL Round 20 match between the Gold Coast Suns and the Brisbane Lions at People First Stadium on July 26, 2025 (Photo by Russell Freeman via Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

MURPHY REID

Jon Ralph says: “For me, it’s Murphy Reid. 20 goals, (18 goal) assists (after Round 21). He’s got the flashy moments — those four goals on debut in a matter of minutes. He’s got the big game moments as well.”

“I think he’s been really consistent. Yes, he’s playing in a team where they get plenty of inside 50s, but I think he’s been spectacular. For me, just pushes ahead of Daniel Curtin.”

Murphy Reid of the Dockers celebrates a goal during the Round 21 AFL match between the Fremantle Dockers and Carlton Blues at Optus Stadium on August 03, 2025 (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

DANIEL CURTIN

Corbin Middlemas says: “It’s an interesting decision as to how you would judge it. Are we judging this on the best body of work across the course of the year ... or are we looking at who reached the highest peak? You could argue no one’s played better footy than Dan Curtin — his top end’s been as good as anyone.”

“But has he done it for a long enough sample size? It probably depends a little bit as to what the judges lead into; I don’t think there’s a hard-and-fast rule as to which one you have to pick.

Jon Ralph says: “I think if you’re Matthew Nicks, you’re saying: ‘I think my player in Dan Curtin has had massive moments in massive, big games.’ It’s been a cauldron at times there ... he’s taken a lot of contested marks, which for a second-year player is really challenging to do.”

Daniel Curtin of the Crows celebrates a goal during the 2025 AFL Round 16 match between the Richmond Tigers and the Adelaide Crows at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on June 29, 2025 (Photo by Michael Wilson via Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

AND THE BEST OF THE REST?

Jon Ralph says: “I look at players like (Harvey) Langford and (Xavier) Lindsay who have been spectacular — and even Archie Roberts, who probably hasn’t got his flowers there as well.”

SO WHO’S LEFT STILL WITHOUT A NOMINATION?

Lauren Wood says: “It’s a pretty handy list. You look at (Jacob) Konstanty, Riley (Hardemann), Cooper Harvey, Alix Tauru, Angus Hastie, Taj Hotton — all these sort of guys. Who’s the standout there?”

“It’s Tauru for me ... you talk about prospective talent; once this kid puts a little bit of size on, some of the stuff that he’s been able to do aerially (is impressive).

“He obviously had injury early and then that suspension in the VFL that he had to deal with ... I think he’s doing stuff as a first-year player that so many aren’t able to do. I think you could make a case for him to earn on in the last couple of weeks.”

Sheezel on Roos' situation, backs Clarko | 03:29

Jon Ralph says: “Taj Hotton’s got something special. I can understand why he hasn’t been nominated (but) I think he can win it next year — I’d love to see him nominated.”

“Steely Green’s another one who’s been consistent; I’m just going to keep on reeling off Tigers fans here!”

Corbin Middlemas says: “Riley Hardemann for me, he’s played some really good footy ... I worked the game on the weekend where North played against St Kilda with Gerard Healy. I dropped into commentary that he hadn’t been nominated yet, and Gerard hopped all over it!”

“Gerard Healy’s a big fan of his work, and that’s high praise from a Brownlow Medalist.”

2025 RISING STAR NOMINATIONS (as of Round 21)

Round 1 - Sam Lalor (Richmond)

Round 2 - Connor O’Sullivan (Geelong

Round 3 - Harvey Langford (Melbourne)

Round 4 - Levi Ashcroft (Brisbane)

Round 5 - Archie Roberts (Essendon)

Round 6 - Murphy Reid (Fremantle)

Round 7 - Xavier Lindsay (Melbourne)

Round 8 - Hugo Garcia (St Kilda)

Round 9 - Nate Caddy (Essendon)

Round 10 - Cooper Lord (Carlton)

Round 11 - Angus Clarke (Essendon)

Round 12 - Edward Allan (Collingwood)

Round 13 - Daniel Curtin (Adelaide)

Round 14 - Tyrell Dewar (West Coast)

Round 15 - Finn O’Sullivan (North Melbourne)

Round 16 - Clay Hall (West Coast)

Round 17 - Isaac Kako (Essendon)

Round 18 - Luke Trainor (Richmond)

Round 19 - Ashton Moir (Carlton)

Round 20 - Joe Fonti (GWS Giants)

Round 21 - Ethan Read (Gold Coast)

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