Rd 4 NEAFL Rising Star Nominee: Connor Owen-Auburn

Canberra utility Connor Owen-Auburn has earned the Round 4 NEAFL Rising Star nomination after being named among the Demons best in a five-point victory over Sydney University on Saturday.

The 20-year-old has reinvented himself as a midfield role player in recent weeks and made an impression with his performances, particularly in the past fortnight going up against Southport co-captain Andrew Boston and Sydney University star Jake Veale.

In Round 3 against Southport, Owen-Auburn was named in the Demons’ best after his shut-down role on Boston – which included 12 tackles – and backed it up last week against the Students with 20 disposals (11 contested), six marks and four inside 50s.

Entering his second season with Canberra, Owen-Auburn’s work rate and determination to get the best out of himself has put him in good stead.

A former GIANTS Academy member, Owen-Auburn was part of the GIANTS premiership team in 2016 before a serious ankle injury kept the young gun out of action in 2017.

He signed with Canberra last year, playing 11 games in his comeback season, and has so far played every match in 2019.

Owen-Auburn is the second Canberra player to be nominated this season after Angus Baker in Round 1.

The NEAFL Rising Star is awarded to the most promising young talent in the NEAFL competition.

Nominees must be under the age of 21 and played less than 20 senior games (excluding games as AFL club academy players) at the start of the 2019 season.

2019 NEAFL Rising Star Nominees

Round 1: Angus Baker (Canberra)
Round 2: Bailey Stewart (Sydney University)
Round 3: Keidean Coleman (Brisbane)
Round 4: Connor Owen-Auburn (Canberra)

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