Has there ever been a better three games to start an AFL career than the efforts of #1 draft pick Matthew Rowell? The Gold Coast Suns were confident they had plucked the best talent in the country with their coveted top pick of last year’s draft, and so far, it seems that they have got it spot on.
Rowell has been best on ground two weeks in a row. Arguably six Brownlow votes in just three games of AFL football. Some footballers play their whole career and don’t get close to six Brownlow votes.
In their upset win against the Eagles last week, Rowell picked up 26 disposals, 7 tackles and 2 goals, and he backed that up on Sunday against the Crows with another 20 disposals, 10 tackles and 2 goals. Brilliant numbers for any player, let alone a rookie.
Even more amazing, the Gold Coast Suns have won two games in a row! It was over a year since they tasted victory, yet now the team that everyone predicted would be uncompetitive and the wooden spoon favourite, are now sitting pretty in 3rd place on the 2020 AFL ladder.
Australian sportbook Sportsbet have seen enough in three games that they have gone the early crow with an early payout on Rowell to win the 2020 Rising Star Award. Rowell had been backed into the unbackable odds of $1.10 favourite when Sportsbet pulled the trigger.
“We’ve got these early payouts wrong before, but this one, is safe as houses. Who knows, if he keeps up this form, a Brownlow early payout might a sniff as well,’’ said Sportsbet spokesperson Rich Hummerston.
2020 Rising Star Odds courtesy of Sportsbet
$1.10 Matthew Rowell
$11 Matt King
$21 Caleb Serong
$21 Izak Rankine
$21 Mitch Georgiades
$21 Noah Anderson
$21 Sam Sturt
$21 Trent Rivers
