Fremantle forward Sam Sturt has put himself in the driving seat for the AFL's annual Rising Star award - after just one game of the season.
Sturt was nominated for his three-goal effort in Fremantle's six-point loss to Essendon last week.
The 19-year-old booted two of his goals in the final quarter to give Fremantle a chance of victory.
He also registered a 50m goal from near the boundary line during the first half.
The AFL called a halt to the season after round one, and will not re-start the campaign until May 31 at the earliest due to the coronavirus pandemic.
If the AFL is unable to resume competition this year, it would give the league a unique dilemma of whether to award Sturt the Rising Star award in a season that consisted of just one game.
Sturt suffered multiple concussions, keeping him on the sidelines for much of 2019, but his debut performance against Essendon showed he is a star of the future.
Australian Associated Press
