Local lad Blakey scores Rising Star nomination
Sydney local and AFL NSW/ACT Talent Program graduate, Nick Blakey from the Sydney Swans is the Round 14 NAB AFL Rising Star Nominee.
Named in the best four on the night, Blakey, 19, played a pivotal role in his side’s 19 point win over Hawthorn at the SCG on Friday night, finishing the game with two goals, 11 possessions (seven contested), three contested marks and three score involvements.
A first year player for the Swans, Blakey has made a name for himself as a tall forward with excellent overhead ability and a piercing left-foot kick. Already a noted goal kicker after only 12 AFL games, he also has the ability to rotate through a number of positions on the field.
He first learnt his trade with the UNSW-Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs before representing the Allies in the 2017 and 2018 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships.
Winner of the 2017 Harrison Medal in the Division Two NAB AFL Under-18 Championships and runner-up in 2018, Blakey caught the eye of recruiters early on due to his courage around both aerial and ground level contests and his innate goal sense.
Son of 359-game AFL great John and member of the Sydney Swans Academy, Blakey joined the Sydney Swans in the 2018 NAB AFL Draft, selection 10 overall, and after a strong pre-season made his debut in Round One of the 2019 Toyota AFL Premiership season.
Following each round of the Home and Away season, a panel of judges select a NAB AFL Rising Star nominee. At the completion of the season, one of these nominees will be chosen as the 2019 NAB AFL Rising Star.
The 2019 NAB AFL Rising Star winner will be awarded the Ron Evans Medal, a $20,000 personal investment folio and a dedicated personal banker, courtesy of NAB.
NAB continues to support footballers by recognising the junior clubs that helped foster the early careers of the nominated players. Blakey’s junior club, the UNSW-Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs, which plays in the AFL Sydney League, will receive a NAB Club Recognition Award valued at $2500, comprising financial and practical resources, as a result of his Round 14 nomination. Since supporting the NAB AFL Rising Stars Program, NAB has donated over $822,500 worth of resources to junior football clubs through this initiative.
The NAB AFL Rising Star is part of the NAB AFL Rising Stars Program, which supports grassroots players and football communities and helps young Australians fulfil their dream of playing in the AFL.
NAB has supported the footy community for over a decade, providing boys and girls with a clear pathway from NAB AFL Auskick through the NAB AFL Rising Stars program all the way to the big time.
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