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Lewis Taylor wins 2014 NAB AFL Rising Star

In what was the closest ever Rising Star count since the Award’s inception in 1993, Brisbane’s Lewis Taylor claimed the Award with 39 votes, one vote ahead of the Western Bulldogs’ Marcus Bontempelli.

Selected in the Player’s Association’s 22Under22 squad of 45 by the ‘PA Board, 19-year-old Taylor made his midfield debut for the Lions in Round One this year and played every game.

Vote for your 22Under22 team here

He was one of only two nominated players (the other being the Sydney Swans’ Harry Cunningham) and one of only three Brisbane players to play every match this season, averaging 84 percent time-on-ground.

Of the 23 nominees, Lewis had the most disposals (371), the third-most score involvements (86) and fifth-most contested possessions (109).

Lewis’ averages included 17 disposals, five contested and 12 uncontested possessions and he kicked 12 goals.

Recruited from Terang-Mortlake Football in Western Victoria and the Geelong Falcons, Taylor was selected at pick 28 in the 2013 NAB AFL Draft.

Lewis captained Vic Country in the 2013 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships and was named in the 2013 Under-18 All-Australian team. He was a member of the 2012 AIS-AFL Academy – Level Two squad.

Lewis is the fourth Brisbane Lions player to win the award following Nathan Buckley (then Brisbane Bears) 1993, Chris Scott (then Brisbane Bears) 1994 and Daniel Rich 2009.

The NAB AFL Rising Star is voted on by the All-Australian selection panel: Gillon McLachlan (chairman), Mark Evans, Danny Frawley, Warren Tredrea, Glen Jakovich, Cameron Ling, Luke Darcy, Matthew Richardson, Kevin Bartlett and Kevin Sheehan (Rising Star selector only).

2014 Voting

Lewis Taylor               39       Brisbane Lions

Marcus Bontempelli     38       Western Bulldogs

Luke McDonald           32       North Melbourne

James Aish                 19       Brisbane Lions

Kade Kolodjashnij       7         Gold Coast Suns

Luke Dunstan             5         St Kilda

Tom Langdon             5         Collingwood

Harry Cunningham     3          Sydney Swans

Josh Kelly                  1          GWS Giants

Jarman Impey            1          Port Adelaide