PORT ADELAIDE defender Lachie Jones has been announced as the AFL’s NAB Rising Star nominee for Round 15.
The 20-year-old was recognised for his performance against Gold Coast on Sunday evening when he had 16 disposals to go with two tackles and a goal.
Playing as a forward, Jones had eight score involvements and eleven pressure acts, playing a key role in keeping the ball around Port Adelaide’s forward 50.
In his first full season of AFL football following a debut year interrupted by injury in 2021, Jones has been a consistent performer, playing 12 of a possible 14 games.
Renowned for his speed and attack on the football, he has this season shown an ability to play in multiple roles other than his customary half-back position including in the midfield and forward line.
A 2020 Woodville-West Torrens SANFL premiership player, Jones was also part of Port Adelaide’s Next Generation Academy, and was claimed by the club with the 16th pick in the 2020 NAB AFL Draft.
Jones debuted in Round 4 last season, but ankle and hamstring injuries limited him to six AFL games in 2021.
He is the first Port Adelaide player to be nominated for the award this season.
Jones’s local club, the Bute Football Club on Yorke Peninsula, will receive a community awards pack on behalf of NAB.
