Standing shoulder to shoulder with his childhood heroes on match day, the tables are turning for 19 year old Mitch Wallis as he fast becomes a mainstay of the Western Bulldogs field he for a long time admired.

Growing up with Matthew Boyd and Ryan Griffen’s numbers on his Bulldogs guernsey, Wallis said it was something special to play alongside some of the game’s elite.

“I remember, barracking for the Bulldogs growing up as a kid, watching those players and wearing Boyd’s number on my back and Griff’s number on my back,” Wallis said at yesterday’s NAB AFL Rising Star Awards.

“To be able to be playing with them is something special and to be getting a game each week - you know, games don’t come easy, and it's a week by week basis."

Understanding that games will not be gifted, the 2010 father / son recruit is eager return for a full pre-season and build on the form of his breakout year.

"To be playing with them and to play in a couple of wins with them was amazing,” he said.

“So I can’t wait to keep improving and keep playing with them because I can feel some success and am really excited of what we’re building and where we’re going.”

 Wallis placed third in yesterday’s Rising Star voting with 19 votes behind Adelaide Crows’ Daniel Talia (43 votes) and Greater Western Sydney’s Jeremy Cameron (35 votes).