Daniel Talia wins Rising Star Award

by Gingernuts Wed Sep 05, 2012 2:21 pm

Daniel Talia has claimed the Rising Star today. Congrats Daniel, an outstanding season. To think he may have still been languishing on the list behind Bock & Davis had they not left.

More from afc.com.au:

YOUNG Crow key defender Daniel Talia has become the first Adelaide player to win the NAB AFL Rising Star award (the Ron Evans Medal).

Talia has claimed the award after an impressive season in which he played all 22 games for the Crows, mainly at at full-back.

He won with 43 votes, followed by Jeremy Cameron (35 votes) and Mitch Wallis (19 votes).

The 20-year-old had a breakout year in his third season with the Crows, often taking on the opposition's best forward and beating them.

Talia was taken by the Crows with the 13th pick at the 2009 NAB AFL Draft.

A knee injury cut short his first year on the list and an Achilles injury delayed the start to his 2011 campaign before he returned to play the last nine games of the season in Adelaide's senior team.

The departure of Phil Davis for GWS and, 12 months earlier, Nathan Bock for Gold Coast opened an opportunity in Adelaide's defence that Talia has made his own.

He becomes the first key defender to win the award since Melbourne's Jared Rivers in 2004.

The young Crow has held down a traditional defensive role this year, not racking up big statistical numbers but taking pride in his spoiling ability.

That ability has earned him the nickname 'Presti' (after former Collingwood full-back Simon Prestigiacomo) from teammates Brent Reilly and Michael Doughty.

Talia is also the first graduate of the elite Calder Cannons TAC Cup team to have secured a rising star nomination. Other Cannons alumni include Dane Swan, Paul Chapman, Ryan O'Keefe, Jude Bolton, Darren Milburn and James Kelly.
Talia.

Talia combined his junior football with his duties playing for Assumption College - the same school that produced AFL stars Shane Crawford, Bill Brownless, Peter Crimmins and Peter 'Crackers' Keenan.

He has good pedigree, with his grandfather Harvey Stevens playing in Footscray's 1954 premiership team and his younger brother Michael playing four games for the Bulldogs this season.

by Lee Wed Sep 05, 2012 2:48 pm

Well done to Talia.

I doubt anyone would have seen that coming at the start of the year.

You have to say that Matt Rendell has been outstanding in his draft selections for the Crows while he was there.

by Gingernuts Wed Sep 05, 2012 2:53 pm

Agree. Rendell has pulled together some incredible talent considering the low first round draft picks Adelaide has had in recent years.

Compare it to Melbourne/Richmond's fruitless efforts over the past few years with the benefit of high draft picks and it's quite an achievement.

by Brucetiki Wed Sep 05, 2012 4:20 pm

Congratulations to 'Jenna'

by Brucetiki Wed Sep 05, 2012 4:24 pm

And a bit of bun-fight over the leaking of the result - AFL Media and the Crows are blaming each other for the leak http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/adelaide-says-it-only-broke-the-rising-star-embargo-because-the-afl-already-had/story-e6freck3-1226465783387

by bayman Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:40 pm

i presume Daniels rise to prominence was delayed because he played in the SANFL rather than in a Crows reserves team

well done Daniel

by A Mum Sat Sep 08, 2012 10:26 pm

Got to feel for Talia - what a rollercoaster ride he's had this week - such a high winning this award and then crash back down to earth with a broken arm.

Poor kid Sad