On Thursday night Oliver Dempsey was crowned the 32nd AFL Rising-Star winner after a stellar season for the Geelong Cats.
Dempsey took the award in style, polling 52 votes out of a possible 60, and became just the second Geelong player to win after Joel Selwood in 2007.
In his acceptance speech, Dempsey also threw in a cheeky thank you to the tribunal for the suspensions of Harley Reid and Sam Darcy that disqualified the would-be favourites from nomination.
The young cat was recruited with Pick 15 in the 2022 Rookie Draft after having previously pursued basketball and he debuted in round six that same year.
After stints in the two previous VFL seasons, Dempsey cemented himself in Geelong’s best team in 2024, playing in every single round.
Dempsey has become a crucial link along the Cats’ wings, averaging 18 disposals and a goal assist each game as he aided in Geelong’s ascension to third on the ladder from 12th last year.
However, it was his ability up forward that captured the judges’ attention.
Whether it was kicking goals from high-flying marks, side-stepping through traffic, slotting midair volleys or snatching the ball out of the hands of defenders: Dempsey’s ability to craft the miraculous out of nowhere wowed spectators as he went on to boot 21 goals for the year.
The future is bright for the young cat who showed that not only can he consistently contribute to a strong team, but he can also dominate games.
In the AFL Country Game, Dempsey was awarded the Tom Wills Award for his man-of-the-match performance against the Essendon Bombers.
In wet conditions, his finesse was on full display as he collected 25 disposals and slotted two goals to boost Geelong to a hard-earned win.
Additionally, his two three-goal performances against Saint Kilda and Richmond alongside his 23 goal assists for the year highlight Dempsey’s high impact per disposal.
However, Dempsey isn’t a low-possession player and has developed his ability to get his hands on the ball more with nine games of 20 disposals or more.
Utilising his freakish athletic ability, superhuman stamina and lethality by foot, Dempsey has proven to be a headache for opposition coaches, accumulating 125 score involvements and 20 coaches votes for the season.
But the year is far from over for Dempsey.
He will aim to be a pivotal player in Geelong’s 2024 finals run as they push for an 11th flag.
After becoming the oldest-ever team to win an AFL Premiership in 2022 with an average age of over 28 years old, the Cats’ new wave of players has signalled the dawn of an exciting new era down at Kardinia Park.
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