MITCH GEORGIADES is Nos. 34 and 35 on the honour board - and the first Port Adelaide player to earn two AFL Rising Star nominations.
And the high-leaping, straight-kicking 19-year-old forward has won back the admiration of the Australian Football Hall of Famer with a 1254-goalkicking record.
Eight months after drawing the ire of Hawthorn goalkicking legend Jason Dunstall for trying a dribble kick against the Hawks, Georgiades at the weekend had his set-shot kicking routine lauded by "The Chief" for being "technically perfect" in kicking his three goals against Carlton at the MCG on Saturday night.
Port Adelaide team-mate Zak Butters says the kicking routine is the byproduct of Georgiades' professionalism in training - and a fierce duel between the pair at Alberton.
"Young Mitchy has put a lot of work into that," said Butters. "I have a lot of time with him in goalkicking comps after training and have seen how he has worked very closely with (forwards coach) Nathan Bassett in that. Now you are seeing some great results with him striking the ball well.
"I did listen to Jason Dunstall say that (Georgiades' kicking routine is simply perfect). And I know the pride Mitch takes in his set shots."
Georgiades claimed his first Rising Star nomination in round 9 last season after his three-goal return against Melbourne at the Gabba.
Georgiades is the 12th player to claim two nominations for the Ron Evans Medal that is awarded to the league's best player aged 21 or younger and with less than 10 AFL games at the start of a new calendar year.
It is the reward for making a concerted effort during the shortened pre-season to avert the "second-year blues" that haunt AFL tyros.
"I came into the season knowing I had to work on a couple of things - like my defensive pressure," said Georgiades. "I talked about that a lot with (Bassett) and I am working on being able to run up the ground and back, so I use my athletic ability to enhance my game.
"We made that a real focus going into the season. It is where I needed to be to play AFL footy. It was a big focus point."
The Rising Star nomination follows Georgiades combining with Todd Marshall and All-Australian key forward Charlie Dixon in a new-look Port Adelaide attack for the first time at the weekend.
"We are taking the load off each other - and trust each other - knowing we can work together really well," said Georgiades. "Charlie's ability to take marks and contest; Todd being a utility who plays in the ruck as well is such a great asset for the team ... we are starting to work and gel together well, but there is still plenty of work to be done. It is really exciting.
"Todd and I are still young. So it is going to take time to develop it further ... I am excited to see what happens next.
"Our ability to play three different roles, whether it is Charlie being up the ground or deep in the cage; or Todd playing ruck or playing higher up the ground; the three of us playing different spots really allows us to work together well and with our smalls (forwards) like Robbie Gray, Orazio Fantasia and Steven Motlop."
Georgiades' first experience of the MCG ended with three goals, a 28-point win against Carlton, praise from Dunstall, the round 5 Rising Star selectors - and a new venue to put in his favourites list.
"I loved it. I love playing on the home of footy and hopefully many more games follow," Georgiades said. "The game being fast made it feel like the ground was open."
Georgiades came to Port Adelaide from WAFL club Subiaco as call No. 18 in the AFL national draft. He follows the national draft path of his father John, pick No.35 in 1988 when he left Subiaco to join Footscray for 15 games (27 goals, including eight on debut against Carlton) in three seasons from 1989-1991.
"It was the best thing for me to get out of Perth and experience life elsewhere," said Georgiades who in November signed a contract extension locking him to Port Adelaide's books until the end of 2023. "Port Adelaide is home for me. All the boys and staff, the whole community, have made me feel welcome and I have loved every minute of it.
"I fit in so well between living with Ryan Burton ... and I have at no time had thought of the prospect going home."
After 11 AFL matches in two seasons at Port Adelaide, Mitch Georgiades has an 11-game record with an impressive 18.9 career scorecard. He has kicked goals in nine of his 11 matches with a career-best 4.0 against Essendon in the 2021 season opener at the Docklands.
Since entering the AFL, Port Adelaide has had two Rising Star champions - Michael a Wilson in 1997 and Danyle Pearce in 2006 - wear the Ron Evans Medal in club colours. The first Rising Star champion was Port Adelaide SANFL premiership hero Nathan Buckley while at Brisbane in 1993. Bryon Pickett went from Alberton to North Melbourne to be the 1998 Rising Star.
Port Adelaide's roll call of Rising Star nominees is - 1997: Wilson, Bowen Lockwood, Brendon Lade and Nathan Eagleton; 1998: Warren Tredrea, Nick Stevens and Stewart Dew; 1999: Matthew Bode; 2000: Chad Cornes and Josh Carr; 2001: Brent Guerra; 2002: Shaun Burgoyne; 2004: Brett Ebert; 2006: Pearce, Jacob Surjan, Brad Symes and Troy Chaplin; 2007: Robbie Gray, Travis Boak and Justin Westhoff; 2008: Alipate Carlile; 2010: Jackson Trengove; 2011: Jasper Pittard; 2012: Chad Wingard; 2013: Ollie Wines and Jake Neade; 2014: Jarman Impey; 2016: Darcy Byrne-Jones; 2017: Sam Powell-Pepper and Dan Houston; 2018: Riley Bonner; 2019: Connor Rozee and Xavier Duursma; 2020 and 2021: Mitch Georgiades.
