MELBOURNE is on target to claim the most NAB AFL Rising Star nominations this season, with Cale Morton becoming the latest Demon to earn an award after a career-best 30 disposals against West Coast last weekend.

Morton joined Austin Wonaeamirri (round seven) and Colin Garland (round 14) as the club's nominees for 2008.

At this point, Melbourne leads the competition with six clubs claiming two each – Carlton, Essendon, Fremantle, Hawthorn, Richmond and West Coast.

Adelaide, Collingwood, North Melbourne, the Sydney Swans and Western Bulldogs have all had one player nominated.

The Brisbane Lions, Geelong and St Kilda are the only three clubs yet to have a player nominated.

With Simon Buckley's impressive form in recent weeks – he claimed a personal-best 31 disposals last round –Melbourne may earn another one by season's end.

But emerging defender Stefan Martin, who has also been very good in his first year, is ineligible as he turned 21 in November.

Ricky Petterd, a nominee in 2007, has played just one match this year because of a groin injury, but is still a chance for next season's award given his age.

Melbourne has had one NAB AFL Rising Star winner since the award's inception in 1993, with defender Jared Rivers taking the honours in 2004.

2008 NAB AFL Rising Star nominations
Round 1 – Bachar Houli (Essendon)
2 – Josh Hill (Western Bulldogs)
3 – Rhys Palmer (Fremantle)
4 – Kieren Jack (Sydney Swans)
5 – Ben McKinley (West Coast)
6 – Cyril Rioli (Hawthorn)
7 – Austin Wonaeamirri (Melbourne)
8 – Kurt Tippett (Adelaide)
9 – Garrick Ibbotson (Fremantle)
10 – Nathan Brown (Collingwood)
11 – Matthew Kreuzer (Carlton)
12 – Trent Cotchin (Richmond)
13 – Jarryd Morton (Hawthorn)
14 – Colin Garland (Melbourne)
15 – Jack Riewoldt (Richmond)
16 – Kyle Reimers (Essendon)
17 – Brad Ebert (West Coast)
18 – Gavin Urquhart (North Melbourne)
19 – Shaun Grigg (Carlton)
20 – Cale Morton (Melbourne)