20/05/2008 11:50 AM
Promising key forward Kurt Tippett is Adelaide's first AFL Rising Star nominee for nearly four years, following his four-goal haul in Sunday's thrashing of Melbourne at AAMI Stadium.
The 21-year-old was drafted by the Crows from Queensland club Southport after playing in that club's senior 2006 premiership team as a teenager at pick 32 in the 2006 national draft but did not make his debut until Round 1 of this season.
However the 201cm giant, who gave up a basketball career to concentrate on football, has not put a foot wrong since making his debut and has already kicked 13 goals in the first eight rounds to considerably boost the Crows' strikepower.
Incredibly Tippett is Adelaide's first Rising Star nominee since Brent Reilly in Round 16, 2004 - in a sign the Crows are well on the way in re-building what was an ageing side.
Adelaide coach Neil Craig said Tippett has quickly established himself in the Crows’ forward line this year after he battled neck and shoulder injuries during his first season with the club in 2007.
"We have been really pleased with Kurt this season and he deserves his nomination," Craig said on Tuesday.
"His first season at the club last year was tough because of injuries but his attitude was always good and he set himself to have a strong pre-season, which he did."
"Kurt still has plenty to learn about the game and he understands that."
"But it is exciting for the club and our supporters to see him showing some really good signs as a key forward and occasionally in the ruck."
Tippett seemed destined for a basketball career when he toured the United States as a teenager while representing the Queensland Academy of Sport and he was even made a member of NBL club Brisbane Bullets' talent identification squad.
But in 2004 Tippett was introduced to Australian Football by Ben Merrett, the son of former Brisbane captain Roger, and quickly graduated to the Southport senior team in the QAFL.