Sheed Rising Star Nom Finally

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Finally he gets nominated very well deserved has played well and improved a lot over the year so far

Patrick Keane ‏@AFL_PKeane  9m9 minutes ago
West Coast's Dom Sheed is the rd15 #NABAFLRisingStar after a 26-possession game in the club's 56-point win over the Adelaide Crows.

Patrick Keane ‏@AFL_PKeane  7m7 minutes ago
Sheed, 20, has averaged 19 touches across 12 games this season after being taken in rd1 (pick 11 overall) in the 2013 NAB #AFLDraft.

http://www.westcoasteagles.com.au/news/2015-07-13/sheed-breaks-drought

WEST Coast midfielder Dom Sheed has become the first Eagle since 2011 to earn a NAB Rising Star nomination following a strong performance against Adelaide in round 15.

Sheed gathered 26 disposals and kicked a goal in the Eagles' 56-point win over the Crows on Saturday night.

No Eagle had been nominated for the award since Andrew Gaff in round 19, 2011. Gaff, Jack Darling and Luke Shuey were all nominated that season, with Shuey finishing second in the award behind Essendon's Dyson Heppell.

Sheed, 20, has averaged 24 disposals and a goal across the past three weeks. In just his second season, Sheed said his physical development over the past two years had given him the ability to stay in games for longer.

"I think I'm not getting worn out as much as my first year," Sheed told AFL.com.au.

"I think I've just built up more stamina and strength so I can play out games a bit better.

"One of my goals was to get stronger so I can win more contested footy and play my role.

"And I've done that so I think that's why I can last for longer in games at the moment."

Sheed was the starting sub in five of the 10 games he played in his first season last year. He started this season in good form before breaking his hand in round seven. When he returned in round 10 he had to start as the sub in two more games.

He was the Eagles' first pick in the 2013 NAB AFL draft after winning the Larke medal in the 2013 NAB Under-18 Championships playing for Western Australia.

Sheed was already advanced physically when he came into the AFL having played in the WAFL with Subiaco before he was drafted. But he said he had to work hard in the gym over the past two years in order to handle the physicality of the AFL as a contested midfielder.

Brownlow medallist Matt Priddis has been a big influence on Sheed since he arrived at the club.

"He (Priddis) is so professional in everything he does," Sheed said

"He leaves no stone unturned. So that's what I'm continuing to strive towards and get myself to another level hopefully.

"The biggest thing I've learned from him is when he's getting tackled he's not too fazed. He doesn't feel like he needs to get rid of the footy straight away, he really holds onto the ball and doesn't get rid of it until he's got an option.”

Gaff said on Monday that Sheed had come on in leaps and bounds this season.

"He has been great, Dom," Gaff said.

"In your first year you're in and out of the team a bit and it does play with your confidence levels.

"But this year he's really fitting in and really doing his bit.

"He doesn't have to have 30 touches to have an impact on games and we couldn't be happier with his presence around stoppages and he's another big body that we perhaps needed at the start of the year.

"So he and Elliot Yeo in there have been great and have added another dimension to the midfield that we didn't have.

"As a young player you have your bad games and your good games and I think he has really narrowed that gap and become a very important player for us."

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http://www.westcoasteagles.com.au/news/2015-07-13/sheeds-star-rises

West Coast's Dom Sheed has earned the NAB AFL Rising Star nomination for round 15.

The medium-midfielder had 26 possessions, laid four tackles and kicked a goal in the Eagles’ 56-point win over the Adelaide Crows last Saturday night at Domain Stadium.

With a terrific work rate and skills, Dom has developed into a reliable member of the Eagles’ starting 18.

Amongst the players eligible for the Rising Star, he ranks first in both inside 50s per game and total inside 50s.

In 2014 he played 10 games in his debut AFL season with five of these games starting as the substitute, after being selected at no.11 in the 2013 NAB AFL Draft.

This year he has played 12 games with his season was interrupted for two weeks with a hand fracture suffered in round seven.

The 20-year-old has found some consistent form over the past three rounds against Richmond, Melbourne and Adelaide averaging 24 possessions.

Dom played junior football with Mines Rovers in Kalgoorlie and Subiaco in the WAFL. He captained Western Australia in the 2013 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships and won the Larke Medal for the Division One best and fairest.

He was also named an Under-18 All-Australian and is a graduate of the NAB AFL Academy.

West Coast coach Adam Simpson is pleased with Dom’s development this season and said his nomination was well-deserved.

“Dom worked hard through the pre-season and it’s great see him recognised for taking that improvement into the season,” Simpson said.

“He has become an important part of our midfield and is our first nomination in the Rising Star Award since Andrew Gaff in 2011.

"We’re excited with Dom’s development and the role he is playing for the team.”