A STAR turn against Port Adelaide has won Kangaroo youngster Jack Ziebell the NAB AFL Rising Star nomination for round seven.
The North Melbourne midfielder was instrumental in his team's nail-biting win over the Power, gathering 23 disposals, five marks, four tackles and a crucial goal.
"I played alright which was good. I think I've been pretty consistent over the last four or five games. That is the main thing I've been trying to do. It's a bit of positive reinforcement", Ziebell said.
Ziebell has been widely tipped as one of the favourites to take out the NAB AFL Rising Star award at season's end. But he says he has given no thought to the award as he works to establish his AFL career.
"I'm not too fazed. I've got to keep my spot in the senior team and play good footy and play my role within the team."
Ziebell's efforts drew public praise from North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley after the win over Port Adelaide on Saturday night.
"The kid's going to be a superstar and I'm not afraid to say that because his work ethic, the way he attacks the football, has been fantastic," Laidley said.
"He is a leader in his own right at the football club already just by the way he goes about it."
The 18-year-old said his main goal for 2009 was to get a senior game but said he is now striving for consistency.
"If you are going to set the benchmark up high you have got to stay up there and make sure your consistency is right up there. That is the main thing for me to make sure my consistency is right and I've got to try real hard to keep it there," he said.
Ziebell has played every game for North Melbourne so far this year and says his body has coped surprisingly well with the rigours of AFL football.
"It hasn't been too bad at the minute. The body is holding up alright. My game time is going up at the minute and I'm getting used to it now."
Ziebell was North Melbourne's first selection, and pick nine overall, at the 2008 NAB AFL Draft after a standout NAB AFL Under-18 Championships that saw him ranked in the top 10 for clearances, kicks and goal assists and earn All Australian honours.
Jack was part of the Murray Bushrangers premiership team in 2008 and was named in the TAC Cup Team of the Year. His grassroots club is Wodonga Football Club.
He is an AIS-AFL Academy graduate in 2007 and was voted the Ben Mitchell medalist by his peers.
The 2009 NAB AFL Rising Star will receive a personal investment folio and a dedicated personal banker, courtesy of the National Australia Bank.
NAB will once again recognise the junior clubs that helped foster the early careers of the nominated players. NAB will present each of the 22 clubs with a NAB Club Recognition Award, a package of practical and financial resources designed to assist them in developing future champions.
The NAB AFL Rising Star is the pinnacle of the NAB AFL Rising Stars Program, which supports grassroots players and football communities and helps young Australians fulfill their dream of playing in the AFL.
The NAB AFL Rising Stars Program provides recognition and a clearly identifiable direction for a player's career, and comprises the following elements:
· NAB AFL Rising Star
· NAB AFL Draft
· NAB AFL Draft Camp
· NAB AFL Under 18 Championships
· AIS-AFL Academy
· NAB AFL Under 16 Championships
Last Modified on 20/11/2009 10:32
