19-year-old Taylor polled 39 votes, one more than 18-year-old Marcus Bontempelli (38 votes). North Melbourne's Luke McDonald was third, with 32 votes.
Wednesday afternoon's count at Crown in Melbourne was the closest since the prestigious award for the game's best young player was introduced in 1993.
Bontempelli (Round 13 nominee) was one of three Bulldogs to be nominated for the award in 2014, alongside Nathan Hrovat (Round 17) and Jake Stringer (Round 20).
The number four pick overall in the 2013 NAB AFL Draft first turned Rising Star selectors’ heads with a 22 disposal game against the Pies where he also had eight inside 50s and a goal, but it has been the numerous game-changing moments throughout the season that has put the 18-year-old up in lights.
Bontempelli’s versatility both up forward and through the midfield sees him rank first out of rising star nominees for inside 50s, third for clearances and fifth for goals.
The emerging midfielder recently put pen-to-paper on a new contract extension, that will see him at the Kennel until at least the end of 2017.
View the final leaderboard and votes each selector, in the 2014 NAB AFL Rising Star Award.
2014 NAB AFL Rising Star
| Player | Team | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Lewis Taylor | BL | 39 |
| Marcus Bontempelli | WB | 38 |
| Luke McDonald | NM | 32 |
| James Aish | BL | 19 |
| Kade Kolodjashnij | GC | 7 |
| Luke Dunstan | STK | 5 |
| Tom Langdon | COLL | 5 |
| Harry Cunningham | SYD | 3 |
| Josh Kelly | GWS | 1 |
| Jarman Impey | PORT | 1 |
The selectors' votes were as follows:
Gillon McLachlan
5 – Lewis Taylor
4 – Marcus Bontempelli
3 – Luke McDonald
2 – James Aish
1 – Harry Cunningham
Mark Evans
5 – Lewis Taylor
4 – Marcus Bontempelli
3 – James Aish
2 – Luke Dunstan
1 – Harry Cunningham
Danny Frawley
5 – Lewis Taylor
4 – Marcus Bontempelli
3 – Luke McDonald
2 – Kade Kolodjashnij
1 – Harry Cunningham
Warren Tredrea
5 – Luke McDonald
4 – Marcus Bontempelli
3 – Lewis Taylor
2 – Kade Kolodjashnij
1 – Jarman Impey
Glen Jakovich
5 – Lewis Taylor
4 – James Aish
3 – Marcus Bontempelli
2 – Luke McDonald
1 – Luke Dunstan
Cameron Ling
5 – James Aish
4 – Luke McDonald
3 – Tom Langdon
2 – Marcus Bontempelli
1 – Luke Dunstan
Luke Darcy
5 – Marcus Bontempelli
4 – Luke McDonald
3 – Lewis Taylor
2 – Kade Kolodjashnij
1 – James Aish
Matthew Richardson
5 – Lewis Taylor
4 – Marcus Bontempelli
3 – Luke McDonald
2 – James Aish
1 – Josh Kelly
Kevin Bartlett
5 – Luke McDonald
4 – Lewis Taylor
3 – Marcus Bontempelli
2 – James Aish
1 – Luke Dunstan
Kevin Sheehan
5 – Marcus Bontempelli
4 – Lewis Taylor
3 – Luke McDonald
2 – Tom Langdon
1 – Kade Kolodjashnij
NAB AFL Rising Star winners: 1993-present
| Year | Player | Club | Votes | Recruited from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Lewis Taylor | BL | 39 | Terang-Mortlake (Vic) |
| 2013 | Jaeger O'Meara | GCFC | 44 | Perth (WA) |
| 2012 | Daniel Talia | ADEL | 43 | Calder Cannons (VIC) |
| 2011 | Dyson Heppell | ESS | 44 | Gippsland Power (VIC) |
| 2010 | Daniel Hannebery | SYD | 45 | Kew (VIC) |
| 2009 | Daniel Rich | BL | 45 | Subiaco (WA) |
| 2008 | Rhys Palmer | FRE | 44 | East Fremantle (WA) |
| 2007 | Joel Selwood | GEEL | 44 | Bendigo U18 |
| 2006 | Danyle Pearce | PORT | 43 | Sturt (SA) |
| 2005 | Brett Deledio | RICH | 43 | Kyabram/ Murray U18 |
| 2004 | Jared Rivers | MELB | 45 | North Adelaide (SA) |
| 2003 | Sam Mitchell | HAW | 33 | Mooroolbark/ Eastern U18 |
| 2002 | Nick Riewoldt | STK | 34 | Southport (Qld) |
| 2001 | Justin Koschitzke | STK | 31 | Albury (NSW)/ Murray U18 |
| 2000 | Paul Hasleby | FRE | 33 | East Fremantle (WA) |
| 1999 | Adam Goodes | SYD | 33 | Horsham/ North Ballarat U18 |
| 1998 | Byron Pickett | NMFC | 30 | Port Adelaide (SANFL) |
| 1997 | Michael Wilson | PORT | 27 | Port Adelaide (SANFL) |
| 1996 | Ben Cousins | WCE | - | East Fremantle (WA) |
| 1995 | Nick Holland | HAW | - | North Adelaide (SA) |
| 1994 | Chris Scott | BL | - | Eastern U18 |
| 1993 | Nathan Buckley | BL | - | Port Adelaide (SANFL) |
