Long before making his Brisbane Lions debut, Will Ashcroft was touted as this year's leading Rising Star candidate, but Harry Sheezel is ensuring his fellow young gun is not going to simply stroll to the award.

Sheezel has enjoyed a hugely impressive start to his career with the North Melbourne Kangaroos, so much so that he is rivalling Ashcroft for favouritism to be named the Rising Star.

Sheezel's starring debut

The variety of betting markets for Aussie Rules have great depth but there are few more competitive markets this season than the one for the Rising Star winner. Online betting site offers, such as a bet365 bonus code, are also in high demand and Sheezel has been much in the Rising Star market since earning the first Rising Star nomination of the season following his performance on his debut against West Coast.

His 34 disposals in that game were the most from a debutant in 39 years and his displays since then demonstrate why he is a general 7/5 shot to win the Rising Star.

Initially drafted as a midfielder/forward, Sheezel has quickly settled into a half-back role and it is a testament to his ability and the impact that he has made that he ranks as one of only three defenders to be in the top 20 in the early weeks of the season for number of disposals. Averaging almost 28 disposals per game shows how he has been maintaining his influence since day one.

In addition to disposals, Sheezel is also posting elite-level figures for his number of marks, kicks and handballs.

Ashcroft's numbers maybe do not jump out of the page in quite the same way as those of Sheezel but he still rates above average for goals, disposals, total clearances, kicks and handballs. The way he has been dropped straight into midfield by the Lions is also an indication of how quickly he has adapted to life playing among men.

His Rising Star nomination in round two followed his display against Melbourne which brought 31 disposals, nine clearances and a goal. Those feats ensured he became the first player to have such a game within his first two appearances in the AFL.

Ashcroft's goal-of-the-season contender

That record is among the reasons why he is a general 4/5 chance to be named Rising Star but if there was a market for goal of the season then he would likely be a much shorter price after his sensational effort against Fremantle in his seventh appearance.

Even after repeated viewings, it still seems a blur of movement for how Ashcroft tapped the ball to himself, regathered it and then scored from an acute angle. It was a clear demonstration of the speed and skill which Ashcroft has brought to the Brisbane midfield this season.

It could be Ashcroft's influence and role in midfield that tips the Rising Star Award his way come decision time but it is going to be a fascinating few months watching him joust with Sheezel for the honour.