Alex Witherden from the Brisbane Lions Football Club is the Round 17 AFL Rising Star nominee.

The third AFL Rising Star for the Lions this season, Witherden had an outstanding performance against Richmond, collecting 28 disposals with a 68 percent disposal efficiency.

A prolific ball winner across half back, Witherden debuted against Greater Western Sydney in Round 14 of the 2017 AFL Premiership Season. In four senior games, Witherden has averaged 24.5 disposals with an average gain of 345.6 meters.

Playing state level Under-18 football with the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup, Witherden became a top 25 draft prospect after a strong 2015 TAC Cup season averaging 18 possessions and seven contested possessions per match. Pick 23 in the 2016 AFL Draft, his season came to an end with a broken leg before returning in 2017 as an impressive midfielder in the Lions’ NEAFL side.

Witherden spent his junior football career with Barwon Heads in the Barwon AFL Competition.