CYRIL Rioli is set to become the first player since the Adelaide trio of Nigel Smart, Ben Hart and Andrew McKay in 1991-92-93 to win All-Australian selection in his first year in the AFL.

If the All-Australian selectors pick a specialist small forward, rather than filling up on midfielders, Rioli is a must after a sensational introduction to League footy.

The 19-year-old Territorian has been a genuine impact player in the No.2 team in the competition.

That's no easy task and is why Rioli is my pick to win the NAB AFL Rising Star Award.

In a hot field for an award to be decided next week on the 5-4-3-2-1 votes of the All-Australian selectors, he gets my vote over Fremantle Rhys Palmer.

I'd go Rioli (5), Palmer (4), Matthew Kreuzer (3), Trent Cotchin (2) and Garrick Ibbotson (1).

Rioli, 19 last month, has not only played every game in his rookie season, he's been a star.

He's proven he can catch it overhead, find it on the ground, hunt up his opposition and kick goals.

He's a contender for mark of the year and goal of the year, and if there was an award for tackle of the year he'd be in that, too.

He's been the No.1 small forward in the AFL to vindicate the Hawks' decision to take him at No.12 in last year's national draft.

Significantly, at 177cm and 78kg, he leads the tackle count and ranks fifth in contested possessions in a side bound for a grand final. Incredible.

But it goes further. It's not the number of tackles he makes but when, where and how he makes them with his willingness to chase and his extraordinary closing speed.

For every tackle he makes he has an impact several times over with his pressure because opponents know he's coming and know they've got to get rid of the ball quickly.

One of the hardest things for a first-year player in this role is to balance his defensive run with his run to get involved offensively. It takes a big tank but he's done it beautifully.

If Rioli wins the rising star award he'll be a fitting addition to a 'club' that was formed when my ex-Bears teammate Nathan Buckley won the inaugural crown in 1993.

It's been a fantastic award, and despite a lot of winners still being in their early days has a collective CV of 2344 games and 1909 goals, four Brownlow Medals, 18 All-Australian jumpers, 19 club best & fairest, 12 grand finals, eight premierships and two Norm Smith Medals.

The Rising Star All-Stars would be an awesome line-up despite being short on numbers.

B: Byron Pickett, Jared Rivers, Michael Wilson

HB: Chris Scott, Nick Holland

C: Nathan Buckley, Paul Hasleby

HF: Joel Selwood, Nick Riewoldt

F: Danyle Pearce, Justin Koschitzke, Brett Deledio

R: Adam Goodes, Ben Cousins, Sam Mitchell

And there would be no shortage of leaders — five of the 15 have already captained their club and others are destined to do likewise.

In any other year Palmer, Kreuzer or Cotchin could have got the nod, which makes Rioli's debut season even more meritorious.

Palmer, 19 in February and chosen at No.7 in last year's draft, has an enormous tank and knows how to work really hard — a skill young players often take a few years to develop.

That he is Fremantle's No.1 possessions-winner (easily) and is third in contested possessions behind Aaron Sandilands and Matthew Pavlich is a fantastic effort.

He's a real ball hunter — he'll follow it like a bee to honey — and knows no fear.

He needs to improve his field kicking and his decision-making but that will come. It's only a matter of time.

Kreuzer edges out Cotchin for third vote with me because he's played more games but the two players taken first and second in the 2007 draft will be a one-two punch that will take some beating.

Kreuzer, 19 in May, has done an extraordinary job to play 19 games in the ruck in his first year, and fill a key role in getting Carlton home in several games.

His resilience and his ability to keep bashing in against bigger and more experienced opponents has been sensational, and when the ball leaves his area he doesn't spectate — he's on the move.

There's only one thing more dangerous than a quality ruckman — a quality ruckman who can go forward and kick goals.

That'll be the athletic and competitive Kreuzer.

Cotchin, coming off virtually no pre-season due to injury, had to wait until Round 8 for his debut and has played only 14 games yet could end up having the biggest impact of them all. And he only turned 18 in April.

I spent some time with him as asisistant coach with the AIS squad and he's a star who will be a Richmond captain.

His decision-making is exceptional and his balance likewise.

He's not afraid to work in close but knows where to go to find the easy kick, and he's a midfielder who can go forward and kick goals.

Robert Walls paid him the ultimate compliment when he said: "When he has the ball you take your eyes off him to see its' going".

He's right. It's a complete package.

Ibbotson, 20 in March, played one game in 2007 before 18 games this year.

He hasn't had the publicity of the four front-runners but I like the way he goes about it and he looks a fine prospect.

He's a perfect built for a tall midfielder at 187cm and 84kg, he covers the ground well, and when he marks the ball he meets it at its highest point — a real plus.

Often used in the back half by Fremantle in the second half of the season, he's shown a terrific understanding of the balance between attack and defence and has laid a wonderful platform.

He could be used in any number of different roles and his challenge will be to make one his own.