JUST seven games into her AFLW career, Eliza McNamara has received a nomination for the NAB Rising Star Award.

McNamara’s honours come after an impressive 16-disposal outing in Round 7, where she registered 15 kicks, five tackles and two marks in her side’s enthralling win over Adelaide at Casey Fields.

It was her second-highest possession count to date – she collected 18 touches in Round 1 – and follows a string of solid performances for the Dees.

Since being drafted to Melbourne with pick No.15 in the 2020 NAB AFL Women’s Draft, McNamara has quickly established herself as a surprise packet of the competition.

The talent midfielder is as tough as they come and has a running capacity the envy of many – she took out the club’s time trial on the first day of pre-season.

McNamara’s work rate caught the eye of Melbourne captain Daisy Pearce early days, with the skipper deeming her one of the toughest players she had ever played with, and her team-first actions continue to demonstrate this.

In her debut season, she’s averaging 11 disposals a game and has recorded 20 tackles to date.

The 18-year-old, who was recruited from Sandringham Dragons and stands at just 166cm tall, is an exciting prospect for Dees fans, as she looks to develop her game in the years to come.

McNamara joins Tyla Hanks as the two Demons to receive Rising Star Nominations in season 2021.