AFL Great Tim Watson made the bold prediction Jaeger O’Meara could become the greatest midfielder to play the game – and judging from his first year achievements, it’s hard to argue with the former Essendon champion!

The first-year Gold Coast player was this week crowned the 2013 NAB AFL Rising Star, O’Meara collecting 44 from a possible 45 votes as he took out the Ron Evans Medal as the competition’s best young player, polling 44 out of a possible 45 votes to beat Adelaide's Brad Crouch (31 votes) and Port Adelaide's Ollie Wines (26).

It’s been an overwhelming debut season for the 19-year-old teenager, first arriving on the scene against St. Kilda in the Gold Coast SUNS season opener at Metricon Stadium.

In addition to kicking his first goal in an AFL Premiership match, O’Meara showed plenty of signs to suggest he would be a future star of the League.

And it didn’t take long for the prized midfielder to find his feet in the national competition, with O’Meara awarded the winning NAB Rising Star nomination for Round 5 in a career-best performance against Greater Western Sydney, in which he grabbed 25 disposals, 11 clearances, five marks and two goals. 

Just weeks after receiving his first individual AFL accolade, O’Meara became the youngest player in more than a decade to collect 30+ disposals in a match, surpassing Callan Ward’s previous record achieved against Port Adelaide in Round 12, 2009 after the former Bulldog finished with 33 disposals.

Looking back, it’s been one of the most inspiring debut seasons in modern AFL history for a player who continues to impress on and off field.

One of just two Gold Coasters to feature in all 22 Premiership fixtures, O’Meara finished the year with some unbelievable figures.

#1 for the Club in total tackle counts, the classy mover also finished with 476 disposals, 97 marks, 87 clearances and 34 centre clearances.

GC SUNS CEO – Travis Auld, sent a congratulatory message to the newly crowned Rising Star via the @GoldCoastSUNS twitter handle, commending the exciting youngster on a tremendous first-year campaign. 

“On behalf of all involved at the Gold Coast SUNS, congratulations to Jaeger O’Meara,” Auld said.

 “The award is a great credit to you, and the commitment and sacrifices you have made to fulfil your footballing dream."

GC SUNS List Manager – Scott Clayton, the architect behind landing O’Meara on the tourist strip, praised O’Meara for his chasing his AFL dream on the Gold Coast. 

“We always new he had the talent, the hard work has paid of and importantly the best is yet to come.” 

“Full credit to Jaeger O’Meara, he has done all the work and is a deserving winner of the Ron Evans Medal.”