Western Bulldogs midfielder Mitch Wallis confirmed his standing amongst the AFL’s elite emerging talent, ranking third in the 2012 NAB AFL Rising Star Award vote count this afternoon.
 
Adelaide Crows defender Daniel Talia (43 votes) took out the coveted trophy, placing ahead of Greater Western Sydney forward Jeremy Cameron (35 votes) and Wallis (19 votes).

View a photo gallery from the NAB AFL Rising Star event.

Talia became the first player in Crows history to claim the award, while Wallis’ top three billing is fitting individual recognition for a breakout season for the Bulldogs.
 
Sharing a close connection with the Kennel, eventual winner Talia is the grandson of Bulldogs 1954 Premiership Player Harvey Stevens, while his brother Michael debuted for the Club earlier this year. 

Wallis’s third placing makes him the highest ranked Bulldog in the Rising Star Award since Ryan Griffen was runner up to Richmond’s Brett Deledio in 2005.
 
Season 2012 has been a breakout year for Wallis, who in his second season has established his spot in the Bulldogs senior side and is fast becoming a highly valued member of the Dogs midfield unit.
 
Playing just six matches in his debut season at the Dogs in 2011, Wallis played 19 senior matches in 2012 ranked second in total handballs at the Bulldogs and fourth in total tackles. The 19 year-old also ranked fourth at the Club in clearances, third in total disposals and third in contested disposals.
 
Wallis was a key figure in the Bulldogs round 12 win against Port Adelaide in arguably his best game of the year, amassing 29 disposals at 83% disposal efficiency, seven clearances, six marks and a goal.
 
Recruited as a father-son selection in the 2010 AFL National Draft, Wallis is the son of former Bulldogs Captain Steve Wallis who played 261 games in the red, white and blue before hanging up the boots in 1996.

2012 NAB AFL Rising Star Voting

Daniel Talia                 43

Jeremy Cameron         35

Mitchell Wallis            19

Adam Treloar              15

Steven Motlop            11

Tom McDonald           7

Josh Caddy                 3

Stephen Coniglio        2

The selectors’ votes were as follows:

Andrew Demetriou

5 - Daniel Talia 4 - Jeremy Cameron 3 - Adam Treloar 2 - Mitchell Wallis 1 - Tom McDonald

Adrian Anderson

5 - Jeremy Cameron 4 - Daniel Talia 3 - Mitchell Wallis 2 - Tom McDonald 1 - Stephen Coniglio

Danny Frawley

5 - Daniel Talia 4 - Jeremy Cameron 3 - Adam Treloar 2 - Mitchell Wallis 1 - Steven Motlop

Kevin Bartlett

5 - Daniel Talia 4 - Mitchell Wallis 3 - Jeremy Cameron 2 - Steven Motlop 1 - Tom McDonald

Mark Ricciuto

5 - Daniel Talia 4 - Jeremy Cameron 3 - Steven Motlop 2 - Josh Caddy 1 - Mitchell Wallis

Luke Darcy

5 - Jeremy Cameron, 4 - Daniel Talia, 3 - Mitchell Wallis, 2 - Steven Motlop, 1 - Stephen Coniglio.

Glen Jakovich

5 - Daniel Talia 4 - Adam Treloar 3 - Steven Motlop 2 - Jeremy Cameron 1 - Josh Caddy

Gerard Healy

5 - Daniel Talia 4 - Jeremy Cameron 3 - Adam Treloar 2 - Tom McDonald 1 - Mitchell Wallis

Kevin Sheehan

5 - Daniel Talia, 4 - Jeremy Cameron, 3 - Mitchell Wallis, 2 - Adam Treloar, 1 - Tom McDonald.