AFL Rising Star

Darcy Wilmot Brisbane Lions

The Brisbane Lions have received their second AFL Rising Star nomination for the season, with Darcy Wilmot named the round 14 nominee.

He had 19 disposals, four marks and 447 metres gained in last Friday night’s 16-point win over Sydney at the Gabba.

He has been in a good patch of form, having had 18 touches against Hawthorn the week before.

Wilmot made his AFL debut in last year’s elimination final against Richmond and he became just the second player in League history whose first three games were finals.

He has played every game since and this year averages 4.8 intercepts, 268 metres gained and 3.2 marks a game.

He joined the Lions with the 16th selection in the 2021 NAB AFL Draft from the Northern Knights.

He played his club football with Montmorency and juniors with Yarrambat in the Northern Football League.

Teammate Will Ashcroft was the Lions’ other nominee, in round two.

ASHLEY BROWNE ruckman Sean Darcy on Saturday night should get them going in that part of the ground once more.

They host Essendon at Optus Stadium, with Bomber fans starting to get a bit excited off the back of four successive wins, with arch-rivals Richmond and Carlton among the vanquished.

There are questions about whether Essendon’s game-plan will stack up in big contests later in the year, but in their last match against the Blues before the bye, they welcomed back 2022 best and fairest winner Peter Wright from injury and he booted five goals.

He helps straighten the Bombers up and gives their supporters hope of not just making the finals, but perhaps winning one for the first time since 2004.