2025 Bart 'n' Print Football Rising Star Finalists
The BFNL is proud to share the finalists for our 2025 Bart 'n' Print Football Rising Star Award.
Congratulations to all Finalists.
2025 Football Rising Star Finalists
Lachlan Evans - Gisborne
Height:184cms
Key Attributes:
- Running halfback flanker
- Ability to shutdown an opposition forward and create offensively
- Strong at ground level and in the air.
Past achievements:
- Under 17 Premier ship & Best on Ground
- 2023 U18 Gisborne premiership player
- 2024 Runner up under 18 Gisborne Best and Fairest
- 2025 BFNL U19s representative player
2025 Stats
- 15 Senior matches in 2025
- Named in best 3 times
Jack McMahon – Golden Square
Height: 192cms
Key Attributes:
- Key forward but can rotate into the midfield.
- Strong football IQ and a natural leader
- Hard two-way runner
Past achievements:
- Vice-Captain of 2025 BFNL U19 Interleague side
- Vice-Captain U18 Golden Square 2024
- U18 Golden Square Best and Fairest
- U16 Best on Ground in Premiership for Golden Square in BJFL
2025 Stats
- 15 Senior games
- 25 goals
- Rated elite for contested marks
Aaron Nevins – Kangaroo Flat
Key Attributes:
- Dynamic midfielder with elite clearance-winning ability and genuine breakaway pace
- Aaron has excellent football IQ and reads stoppages incredibly well
- Strong leadership qualities
- Clean hands in congestion and explosive first few steps
Past achievements:
- Vice-Captain of 2025 BFNL U19 Interleague side
- Leadership group member of Kangaroo Flat Senior side in 2025
- Kangaroo Flat U18s – Best & Fairest Runner-Up (2024)
2025 Stats
- 7 Senior games
- Named in best 4 times
Zach Bird – Kangaroo Flat
Key Attributes:
- Zach is a versatile defender who can also swing through the midfield and forward line
- Zach is clean below his knees, composed with ball in hand, and highly coachable
- Zach shows strong marking, ability to read the play, and a capacity to cover the ground make him a valuable asset at both ends of the ground.
Past achievements:
- Kangaroo Flat U18 Best & Fairest Winner (2023 & 2024)
- Selected in BFNL U19 Interleague Team (2025)
2025 Stats
- 15 Senior games
- Named in best 7 times
Ollie Morris - Sandhurst
Key Attributes:
- Ollie is a versatile player and has played wing, on ball and as a small forward
- Ollie is a competitive, focused player and has shown enormous courage when playing against bigger, more seasoned players
- Has very good decision making skills and can back this up with his high skill level
Past achievements:
- Vice-Captain of 2025 BFNL U19 Interleague side
- 20 Bendigo games
2025 Stats
- 15 Senior games
- Named in best 4 times
- Kicked 10 goals
Jed Daniels – Strathfieldsaye
Height: 178cm
Key Attributes:
- Jed is a versatile player who thrives in the front half of the ground as small forward or wing.
- Lightning quick with a high football IQ
- Great goal sense
Past achievements:
- 2025 BFNL U19 BFNL Interleague side
- 10 Bendigo Pioneers matches
2025 Stats
- 15 Senior games
- Named in best 5 times
- Kicked 9 goals
Our eventual winners will be announced at the 2025 Michelsen & Thompson Medal Pre-Count event.
To be considered eligible to be crowned the eventual winner of the Rising Star award for both football and netball, each player must meet the following criteria:
- Players must be under 19 years of age at the commencement of the 2024 season.
- They must have played no more than 10 Senior Football or A-Grade Netball games prior to the commencement of the 2024 season.
- All clubs can each nominate a maximum of 2 x football and 2 x netball future stars each
- A league appointed selection panel will then determine the eventual winner, who will be presented with the award on Michelsen & Thompson Medal day.
The aim of Bart ‘n’ Print Rising Star award is to recognise our future champions and to promote their achievements.
It is very rewarding for clubs to nurture this talent across their junior career, and watch our young players graduate into senior members of their respective clubs or even achieve higher honours via elite pathways.
Thank you to Bart ‘n’ Print for their ongoing support of this award and enabling us to highlight the wonderful young talent in our League.
Headlined by 2024 winners Dasha Taylor of the Gisborne FNC & Ryan Eyre of the Castlemaine FNC, a brief look at the honour roll including previous winners such as Dustin Martin (2008), Lee Coghlan (2009), Hamish Morcom (2012), Charlotte Sexton (2023), Shae Clifford (2022) Chloe Watson (2011), Madeline Stewart (2013), Chelsea Sartori (2014), or Ruby Barkmeyer (2016), demonstrating just a few names that have progressed to become stars of the BFNL or achieve higher accolades.
