Round 3 Trent Sporn
Carlton’s Trent Sporn received his 2003 Rising Star nomination for performing one of the most difficult tasks in the AFL in round three when the Blues took on Essendon at the MCG. Sporn had the enormous task of playing on the Bombers skipper James Hird and managed to keep him to only one goal while also helping himself to 13 possessions in the Blues’ shock win. The former North Adelaide player was taken at pick 11 in the 2000 national draft and has already impressed Blues’ coach Denis Pagan with his ability to play in a variety of positions. Sporn played eight matches for the Blues in the 2002 season.