Rising Star

The Border Mail
Rivers riding success wave

Melbourne key defender Jared Rivers celebrates his Rising Star success yesterday.



AFL Rising Star winner Jared Rivers attributed his runaway victory in the award to his junior playing days, which included playing in a senior premiership as a raw teenager in country South Australia.

The Melbourne defender was the unanimous choice of judges yesterday, the leagues best young player polling the maximum votes ahead of team-mate Aaron Davey, with Brisbanes Richard Hadley third.

Rivers won top marks from all nine judges on the 5-4-3-2-1 basis to poll 45 votes and finish well clear of Davey (26), Hadley (20) and the Western Bulldogs Adam Cooney and Sydneys Paul Bevan, who were equal-fourth on 17 votes.

Rivers has played 21 matches this season, mainly at centre half-back, and lined up on some of the biggest forwards in Port Adelaides Warren Tredrea and St Kildas Nick Riewoldt.

That a 19-year-old can perform well in such a key position is remarkable, but Rivers has taken on bigger and older opponents most of his life, from when his parents sneaked him into the juniors as a five-year-old to when he played in a senior grand final aged just 15.

“I played a lot of senior footy back home in North Adelaide and also at Port Augusta,” he said.

“I think, and playing centre half-back, you need to know a fair bit about the game and reading the game, so Id say that was my main attribute.”

Still, he learnt how difficult an opponent Riewoldt the 2002 Rising Star was in round 15, when the big Saint kicked five goals in a half and nine for the day.

“Just the size how tall he is and the size and strength and the way he moves, which is just incredible for his size,” Rivers said.

“Hes so young as well so Ive just got to try and match him in that kind of area and work and improve on that and hopefully be as good a player as he is one day.”

Rivers had his parents, Donna and Peter, by his side when he was named the winner, and they will stay on for the weekend to watch him play Essendon in Saturdays elimination final at the MCG.

His parents also flew over to witness their sons first AFL match against Geelong late last season, when he did not get a touch.