ESSENDON forward Isaac Kako has been rewarded for a good start to his career with the Telstra AFL Rising Star nomination for round 17.
Kako played the best game of his career to date in the Bombers’ 41-point loss to Gold Coast at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.
The small forward had 17 disposals, seven score involvements, five tackles and kicked a goal.
He is Essendon’s fourth nominee this season, joining Archie Roberts, Nate Caddy and Angus Clarke.
One of the Bombers’ more unselfish players, Kako is fourth at the club for score involvements this season, behind only Zach Merrett, Nic Martin and Sam Durham.
The Bombers are the first club since 2021 to have at least four nominees in a single campaign, with Melbourne (Luke Jackson, James Jordon, Trent Rivers and Jake Bowey) and Sydney (Errol Gulden, Braeden Campbell, Chad Warner and Justin McInerney) landing that feat four years ago.
It is the first time since 1993 that the Bombers have had at least four nominees in a year and just the second time in the award’s history.
Hit hard by injuries, Essendon is 6-9 ahead of taking on Richmond at the MCG on Saturday night.
2025 Telstra AFL Rising Star nominees
Round one: Sam Lalor (Richmond)
Round two: Connor O’Sullivan (Geelong)
Round three: Harvey Langford (Melbourne)
Round four: Levi Ashcroft (Brisbane)
Round five: Archie Roberts (Essendon)
Round six: Murphy Reid (Fremantle)
Round seven: Xavier Lindsay (Melbourne)
Round eight: Hugo Garcia (St Kilda)
Round nine: Nate Caddy (Essendon)
Round 10: Cooper Lord (Carlton)
Round 11: Angus Clarke (Essendon)
Round 12: Ed Allan (Collingwood)
Round 13: Dan Curtin (Adelaide)
Round 14: Tyrell Dewar (West Coast)
Round 15: Finn O’Sullivan (North Melbourne)
Round 16: Clay Hall (West Coast)
Round 17: Isaac Kako (Essendon)
