CARLTON headlined the 2017 NAB AFL Rising Star Awards with a club-record five young Blues nominated for the award across the season.

Promising forward Charlie Curnow was Carlton's highest vote-getter, placed fourth (27 votes) behind Port Adelaide's Sam Powell-Pepper (35), Hawthorn's Ryan Burton (41) and Essendon's Andrew McGrath (51), who was presented with the Ron Evans Medal at Peninsula at Atlantic in Melbourne on Friday. 

Taken as the No. 12 pick in the 2015 national draft, Curnow made his AFL debut against Sydney in Round 2 last year.

With six senior appearances in an injury and illness-interrupted 2016, the former Geelong Falcon became a mainstay in the Blues’ line-up in 2017, missing only one match in his second season.

The 20-year-old, who finished 2017 with an average of 14.1 disposals, 5.7 marks and 20 goals, was nominated for the NAB AFL Rising Star in Round 16 after gathering 19 disposals, two goals, 10 marks and four tackles in Carlton’s cash with Melbourne. 

 

The 194cm tall was the last of five Blues nominated for the highest honour for young footballers in 2017, with Caleb Marchbank nominated in Round 6, Samo Petrevksi-Seton in Round 7, David Cuningham in Round 12 and Jack Silvagni in Round 13.

Petrevski-Seton was the only other Blue to collect votes (three) at the 2017 NAB AFL Rising Star Awards.

2017 NAB AFL RISING STAR LEADERBOARD

1st – Andrew McGrath (Essendon, 51 votes)

2nd – Ryan Burton (Hawthorn, 41 votes)

3rd – Sam Powell-Pepper (Port Adelaide, 35 votes)

4th - Charlie Curnow (Carlton, 27 votes)

5th - Eric Hipwood (Brisbane, 10 votes)

6th- Sam Petrevski-Seton (Carlton, 3 votes)

7th - Lewis Melican (Sydney, 1 vote), Tom Phillips (Collingwood, 1 vote)