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I compared him to Jonathan Brown: Jones

Melbourne youngster Jesse Hogan has been named the Rising Star nomination for Round 9.

Hogan was given reward for his consistent season following another solid performance in Melbourne’s loss to Port Adelaide in Alice Springs on Saturday.

The 20-year-old collected 16 disposals, eight marks (two contested), five inside fifties, and kicked two goals in the Demons 61-point loss.

Seen by many as Melbourne’s ‘great white hope’, the key forward has been remarkably consistent in his debut season, averaging 14 disposals, seven marks, and two goals across his eight matches in 2015.

Hogan is yet to go goalless during a match in his short career and has booted multiple majors in all but one game this year.

The 195cm, 97kg brute is equal-fifth in the League for contested marks, averaging more than two a game, and sits second on the Demons goal-kicking list so far this season, with 16.

“I compared him to Jonathan Brown and I’m pretty happy with that call at the moment” – Nathan Jones

After representing Western Australia and being named in the Under-18 All-Australian side in 2012, Hogan was drafted by the Demons in the end of season mini-draft where the club traded picks three (Lachie Plowman) and 20 (Aidan Corr) to GWS.

The mini-draft rules forced Hogan to wait until 2014 to play an AFL game, so he resided in Melbourne’s VFL affiliate the Casey Scorpions for the 2013 season, taking out their best and fairest award at year’s end.

Hogan’s 2014 season was then over before it began, following stress related back issues that kept him out of competitive football for the year.

He made his long-awaited debut in Round 1 of this season and it didn’t take him long to live up to the hype.

Melbourne skipper Nathan Jones said Hogan looks to have all the makings of a champion key forward.

“I compared him to Jonathan Brown and I’m pretty happy with that call at the moment,” Jones told afl.com.au last week.

“For a young kid to come in like he has, I haven’t seen anything like it. You look at other young key forwards in the competition, it’s difficult for them to come into the league and dominate games like Jesse has.”

“He understands the game, he’s got that competitive edge, and he’s physically developed.”

Hogan is Melbourne’s 35th nominated player since the award’s inception in 1993 – the equal-most in the competition, with Essendon.

He is also the first Melbourne player to be nominated for the award since Jack Viney received the Round 21 gong in 2013 with the club registering one winner – Jared Rivers in 2004.