FORWARD line coach Dan McPherson says Carlton’s Patrick Cripps looms as the most likely contender to jostle with key forward Jesse Hogan for this year’s NAB AFL Rising Star.

McPherson, who is Hogan’s line coach, said the Western Australian had produced a fine first-up season in the AFL.   

“He’s (Hogan) certainly one of the top picks, I would’ve thought,” he told Dee TV.

“[Patrick] Cripps from Carlton’s been really good and I think he’s the favourite at the moment, but if Jesse finishes the year really well, I think he’ll be right in it.”  

McPherson said Hogan’s game against Collingwood was strong, when he kicked three goals. It was the fourth time he has booted three or more goals this year and he now has 32 majors from 15 matches.

“He was really good on the weekend, but he’s been a little bit up and down a bit to be honest – the last month,” he said.

“He had a good game last weekend and he had a good game against Brisbane two weeks ago. But in between that – the Essendon and St Kilda games – they probably weren’t his best, but in saying that, he learned a lot from both of those games.

“He’s still in his first year of senior footy, so if he can learn from those games where he hasn’t performed so well – and also acknowledge what he did well, when he does play well – then we can combine those things and continue to make him a really good player for us.”