PORT Adelaide youngster Chad Wingard’s hard work and persistence in his debut season have paid off with the Round 22 NAB AFL Rising Star nomination.

Wingard - who has played 18 games in 2012 after being taken at pick number six in last year’s NAB AFL Draft - was rewarded for his outstanding performance in Saturday’s clash with Brisbane at AAMI Stadium.

In his first prolonged run in the Power midfield, he picked up a personal high 27 possessions (16 kicks, 11 handballs), six clearances and a goal amid difficult wet conditions in which Brisbane triumphed by 11 points.

The 19-year-old described his nomination as “a great honour”.

“This week’s game against Brisbane was probably my best individual performance this year,” Wingard said.

“I got a bit more of a go on-ball and got my hands on the ball a bit more as well.

“My form is just thanks to purely the coaches and the development staff who are trying to help me improve on the simpler things about my game, like spread from stoppage and outside ball.”

Wingard - who turned 19 less than a month ago - also thanked his team-mates for helping him to secure a regular game at AFL level.

“They’ve really helped me fit in as well as the coaches in having belief in me,” Wingard said.

“I think it’s just a bit of confidence, but also feeling a lot better out there with the team-mates and knowing they have trust in you and we have trust in each other.

“As a team, I would like to have got a few more wins, but we’re still improving and every week we’re trying to get better.

“I have 100% faith in where this club is going. We know where we want to go.”

[ Video: Wingard's first season - Ep2 ]

Port Adelaide interim coach Garry Hocking said Wingard’s nomination was reward for his hard work and his eagerness to learn.

“He’s come into the club and hasn’t made any fuss,” Hocking said.

“He’s fitted in well with everybody. He’s been highly coachable and has a high desire to learn. I love his willingness to learn and I love his training habits.

“He’s just a really well-rounded kid. He’s got a great personality and good interpersonal skills with everybody.

“It’s also a reward for him for sticking at it even when we haven’t been winning and when things have been tough.

“It’s been fantastic the way he’s been able to push through that as a young player. It really demonstrates his maturity to not get bogged down, but to continue to go on and play his role in the side and earn an opportunity in the midfield and justify his high draft pick.”

Wingard has spent most of the season forward or on a wing, but Hocking says he was ready for a sustained effort on-ball.

“We always knew that he could do it,” said Hocking, who worked closely with Wingard as forward coach.

“We always knew in the back of our minds the time would come when the shackles would be taken off.

“We’ve been giving him bit roles in the midfield now and then, just a little bit, to give him the opportunity to have some bodies around him, but also keep him out of it by making him the substitute a few times.

“He’s worked hard as a young player coming in to earn his spot and he’s worked hard to earn this achievement.”

[ Video: Chad's incredible trick shot video ]

South Australian captain at the 2011 NAB Australian Under-18 Championships, Wingard says his initial goal was to play between six and 10 games in his first AFL season.

“We re-planned those goals at the halfway mark and I was aiming for around 15 or 16, so I exceeded that but it would have been nice to have some more wins as well,” he said.

Wingard - who grew up in Murray Bridge but now lives with team-mate Aaron Young with a club host family - said he’s benefited from being drafted by Port Adelaide.

“I’ve got to be around my family and friends a lot more as well as my mates at the club who have been a family to me themselves as well, so it’s been a great opportunity and good experience,” Wingard said.

Wingard debuted in Round One and has averaged 12 disposals and kicked eight goals in 2012.

He has missed only three games in his first season, with a shoulder injury forcing him out of Round Six and Round Seven, and a glute strain costing him his place in the team that tackled Hawthorn in Launceston in Round 20.

Wingard is Port Adelaide's first nomination for the 2012 AFL NAB Rising Star Award.

Michael Wilson won the AFL Rising Star award in Port Adelaide's first season in the national competition while Danyle Pearce took out the honour in 2006.