Rising Star - 2018

[EasternWest]

Good on him. Looks an absolute find.

[bulldogtragic]

It's nice to have some nice news. Good feather in his cap.

The clubs best first year player medal will be a tight run race if Naughton and Edwards get a lot more senior games this year.

[bornadog]

Had 10 disposals in the third quarter but looked stuffed in the last. He is a great find, and will only get better.

[ratsmac]

Love this kid. He surprises me with something every game his played whether it be a run down tackle or a great pressure act. Now he's getting forward entries hitting players lace out.

These kids is what will get me through the gates this year now.

Well done Ed

[jeemak]

I’m going to take credit for this, he started having a real impact Friday after I declared he looked cooked an needed a rest!

Good on him, well deserved.

[josie]

Great news. Congrats Ed. (And thanks Jeemak !!).

[Twodogs]

First-year Bulldog the latest Rising Star

FIRST-YEAR Western Bulldogs dasher Ed Richards is the round 10 NAB AFL Rising Star nominee.

Richards produced the best performance of his nine-game AFL career on Friday night against Collingwood with 23 disposals (10 contested), eight intercept possessions and five inside 50s.

The 18-year-old defender is the grandson of Magpies premiership player Ron Richards, brother of the legendary Lou Richards, who captained that 1953 Collingwood Grand Final side.

A knee injury in the opening TAC Cup round last year cost him the chance to play for Vic Metro, but he produced a strong finish to the season with Oakleigh Chargers and Caulfield Grammar.

The Bulldogs ultimately swooped on Richards with the 16th pick, cementing him as a draft bolter.

He had to wait until round two to make his AFL debut, but has played every match since, averaging 15 possessions and 3.2 tackles per game.

That's interesting, Ron Richards daughter Sian was my English teacher at Footscray High away back in the 1970s. She must be Ed's Aunty I guess.

[GVGjr]

Ed Richards, nominated for round 10

Sam Landsberger writes:

Richards grew up with Collingwood star Dale Thomas on his bedroom wall and he might’ve joined Daisy at Carlton, if not for arriving 40mins late to a pre-draft interview. Traffic jam helped lead him to Whitten Oval. Signed until 2021.

They had a long hard look at him for pick 10 (O'Brien) and fortunately for us they passed on him.

[The bulldog tragician]

Well done Little Red. You’ve brought some excitement in a tough year and it’s going to be exciting watching just how good you can be.

[KT31]

Great stuff, love the way this kid goes about it.

[Bulldog4life]

Congrats to Ed. Well deserved. I enjoy watching young Ed play in what has been an ordinary year. Looking forward to seeing him for many years in the red white and blue.

[Topdog]

Fantastic stuff, his game on Friday was excellent and some of those passes into the F50 were brilliant.

[Twodogs]

He really has looked like he can fill that Robert Murphy sized hole across our half back line at times this year. With a bit of size and a bit of experience Ed will become a weapon with that footcannon of his.

I love how when he makes a mistake or he doesn't win a contest he's straight back on the bike going at the next one twice as hard. Ed doesn't drop his head or go into his shell. It's an endearing trait that I wish he would share with a few teammates.

[bornadog]

Some highlights:

[bornadog]

Round 1, Riley Bonner - Port Adelaide
Round 2, Tom DoeDee - Adelaide
Round 3, Sam Murray - Collingwood
Round 4, Jaidyn Stephenson - Collingwood
Round 5, Ben Long - Saints
Round 6, Jake Waterman - Eagles
Round 7, Jack Henry - Geelong
Round 8, Ben Ronke - Sydney
Round 9, Alex Witherden - Brisbane
Round 10, Ed Richards - Western Bulldogs
Round 11, Oli Florent - Sydney
Round 12, Brennan Cox - Freo
Round 13, Hunter Clark - Saints

Updated