Collingwood young gun Darcy Moore has been voted fifth in the AFL Rising Star Award for 2016.
Moore, who kicked 24 goals in 17 games, finished in fifth behind overall winner Callum Mills (Sydney), runner up Caleb Daniel (Western Bulldogs) and fellow place getters Jacob Weitering (Carlton) and Darcy Parish (Essendon).
Entering his third season at the age of 21, Moore, with 26 games under his belt, is poised to take control of the Collingwood forward line for the years to come.
"We'll build a forward line around Darcy for the next ten years and he's ready to go now," coach Nathan Buckley said after his side's narrow loss to the Western Bulldogs in round 21.
"He's only played 25 games and he's ready to impact the competition in a big way and he's going to be really important for us starting now."
AFL Rising Star: 2016
1. Callum Mills (Sydney - 49 votes)
2. Caleb Daniel (Western Bulldogs - 42)
3. Jacob Weitering (Carlton - 26)
4. Darcy Parrish (Essendon - 19)
5. Darcy Moore (Collingwood - 9)
6. Christian Petracca (Melbourne - 2), Jade Gresham (St Kilda - 2)
8. Clayton Oliver (Melbourne - 1), Lachie Weller (Fremantle - 1)
The story of Moore's nomination
Can a half of football earn you a Rising Star nomination?
Darcy Moore is living proof that it can.
The 20-year-old stole the show against West Coast in round 19, winning eight disposals, taking six marks and kicking three goals in the first half.
But just as he appeared set to tear the game apart, Moore left the field with an upper hamstring complaint.
He sat out the remainder of the match, but his work was already done: The AFL Rising Star selectors crowned him their player of the week for round 19.
It was just reward for a player who has made rapid improvement since his debut in July 2015.
He has missed only six of his side’s 32 games since, and has cemented his place in Nathan Buckley’s first choice line up.
He went goalless just thrice and ranked first at the club for contested marks (35).
Speaking of contested marks, Moore took five in the first half alone, causing the Eagles no end of grief by soaring over the back of Will Schofield and Sharrod Wellingham.
Collingwood’s Rising Star Nominees (1993-2016)
1993: Sav Rocca (round 13)
1994: Kent Butcher (round eight), Jon Hassall (round 22)
1995: Nil
1996: Andrew Schauble (round seven)
1997: Mal Michael (round 17)
1998: Nil
1999: Nick Davis (round five), Paul Licuria (round 18)
2000: Damien Adkins (round three), Josh Fraser (round six)
2001: Ryan Lonie (round four)
2002: Jason Cloke (round six), Mark McGough (round 10), Alan Didak (round 16)
2003: Richard Cole (round 17), Matthew Lokan (round 22)
2004: Guy Richards (round nine)
2005: Travis Cloke (round 10)
2006: Dale Thomas (round two), Heath Shaw (round five)
2007: Scott Pendlebury (round four), Marty Clarke (round 13), Tyson Goldsack (round 21)
2008: Nathan Brown (round 10)
2009: Jaxson Barham (round four), Brad Dick (round 11), Dayne Beams (round 17)
2010: Ben Reid (round 12)
2011: Alex Fasolo (round 22)
2012: Ben Sinclair (round 11)
2013: Marley Williams (round 18), Brodie Grundy (round 22)
2014: Tom Langdon (round seven)
2015: Tim Broomhead (round 11), Jordan De Goey (round 19)
2016: Darcy Moore (round 19)
Moore earns Rising Star placing
Collingwood young gun Darcy Moore has been voted fifth in the AFL Rising Star Award for 2016.