In The End, There Can Be Only One! (Media Street)

Another Rising Star for Fremantle…shame the club itself is more like a sinking ship!

Palmer or Rioli? Rioli or Palmer? That has been the major talking point this week leading up to the announcement of this year’s Rising Star winner. The case has been made for each of the major contenders – the nuggety midfielder from Fremantle and Hawthorn’s mercurial small forward who really shouldn’t have surprised anybody with his talent…he’s a Rioli, of course he kicks arse!

But, in true Connor McLeod fashion, there can be only one…and it was Rhys Palmer who took the honours with Rioli a clear second. The win is a fitting reward for an outstanding debut season which some are comparing to that of the great Chris Judd. Palmer matched the achievements of fellow Docker Paul Hasleby who won the Rising Star in 2000…which might be a good omen for Rioli as the runner-up to Hasleby that year (Adam Ramanauskas) became a premiership player a few weeks later.

Whether both of these players will be seen as the best of the 2007 draft remains to be seen; particularly with the likes of Matthew Kreuzer and the ability displayed by Richmond’s Trent Cotchin in the second half of the year; but all kudos goes to Palmer for now.

Palmer talks to media about how much better he is than Cyril Rioli…

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In non-Palmer news:

• Yep, Vossy is now coach of the Brisbane Lions so the Eagles are on the hunt for a new assistant. We doubt that Aker will be getting a phone call from them either…
• Start your ‘where the f@&# is this guy?’ arguments…now! That vast collection of wise selector-type people have narrowed down the All Australian squad to 40 players…what, no Jason Laycock?
• Bye bye Jeff Farmer…imagine how much more awesome he would have been if he wasn’t so damn crazy!
• Nathan Ablett goes the way of Kylie and Jason…he’s leaving Erinsborough and relocating to Queensland!
• Yeah, Fev’s an idiot…but what’s the point in bagging him over what he might think about his actions later on? Like the guy ever thinks about stuff…
• Is Andy D taking the piss at Richmond’s expense? Because talk of having nine teams in the finals sounds like he’s paying out on the Tigers to us!