Luke Trainor has finally earned his Rising Star nomination for 2025.
The young Tiger, who was taken at pick 21 in the 2024 AFL draft, named the round 18 nomination for the AFL’s best young gun award.
Trainor picked up 16 disposals, six score involvements, five marks and five tackles in the Tigers win against Essendon on Saturday night.
It’s a just reward for the young gun after being used all across the ground for the Tigers throughout the season, in which he has appeared in every game.
Trainor is the grandson of Cats champion Doug Wade, who is regularly on hand to watch his grandson in the yellow and black.
“He’s always someone I’ve idolised in the family. I always aspired to be even just half of him,” Trainor said of Wade after kicking his first goal (he’s just 1056 shy of his grandfather’s mark now).
“He really kept me motivated and gave great advice. But he’s also just a great grandfather to have, always in my corner.”
Wade was on hand when Trainor was drafted.
“It’s fantastic,” he said.
“He’s put a lot of work in, and his family too.”
He joins former Geelong Grammar student Sam Lalor in winning nominations in 2025 for the Tigers.
