Hawks teenager Josh Weddle named AFL round 10 Rising Star

In just his fourth AFL game and four days short of his 19th birthday, the 192-centimetre defender was in dominant form as the Hawks soared to a ground record 116-point win over the West Coast Eagles.

Weddle amassed 28 possessions (third-highest for his team behind captain James Sicily and Conor Nash), seven marks, 495m gained, kicked two goals and had eight score involvements.

Selected with pick No.18 in last year's draft after the Hawks struck a deal with Sydney, Weddle also had four inside-50s, six rebound-50s and three one percenters at UTAS Stadium.

The mulleted teenager has played every game since making his debut in round seven against the Western Bulldogs.

Hawks coach Sam Mitchell predicted his team was on the verge of such recognition.

"I just heard some of those young guys getting into each other about whose going to get the first Rising Star nod," he said after the game.

"Seamus Mitchell has been really consistent in the games that he's played. He's just become a staple of our backline and is doing some fantastic things, Cam Mackenzie had 22 and kicked a couple of goals, Josh Weddle had 28 and kicked a couple of goals. The boys have been getting into all of them to see who will get the nod.

"Weddle is still 18 - it's his birthday coming up this week - so for those three to be able to play with the level of confidence and love of the game that they are. We suspected the players that they're becoming and they are doing it quickly.

"That's what we got them here for, to become good Hawthorn players quickly and to help us back to finals and winning premierships."

Weddle earned All-Australian honours following the 2022 AFL National Championships and was named centre-half back in the NAB League team of the year.

He played his junior footy with Templestowe and St Mary's in the Yarra Junior Football League.