Hawthorn youngster Ryan Burton named the Round 2 Rising Star

Ryan Burton is the Round 2 AFL Rising Star. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Burton on Monday night achieved the rare feat of winning a Rising Star nomination after playing in a losing team.

The form of Burton and O’Meara were the shining lights from Saturday’s loss to Adelaide and the youngster backed the Hawks to respond after their 0-2 start.

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Burton inherited Sam Mitchell’s No. 5 guernsey and has already been re-signed for 2018 after fighting back from a horrific broken leg as a junior footballer.

The South Australian was tracking towards the very top of the 2015 draft class before hyperextending and breaking his leg and dislocating the kneecap in a horrific fall.

The injury sidelined Burton for more than 12 months and scared some clubs off at the draft.

Ryan Burton in action against the Crows. Picture: Michael KleinSource:News Corp Australia

But Hawthorn swooped at No. 19 — the pick acquired for losing Jed Anderson — and appear to be big winners.

“I haven’t had any troubles with the knee since I had surgery last year. There’s been no setbacks and my body is feeling 100 per cent,” Burton said.

“Last year was difficult having surgery and missing four months or so. But I finished off pretty well and have had a good pre-season.”

Burton’s friends were close to vomiting on the sidelines and the utility said his memory is vivid.

“I don’t think of it often. It doesn’t haunt me,” he said.

“I can tell them every second leading up to it. I remember marking the ball pretty much 5m out, passing it off and we got a point.

“The ball then came back in, I went for a mark and landed awkwardly and hyper-extended the leg and it broke underneath me.

“There were just tears and swearing and anger. The pain was pretty bad. I didn’t know what I’d done, breaking it didn’t really come into my mind.

“ACLs or dislocated knee caps popped into my mind, which weren’t very pleasant thoughts at all.

“When I heard broken leg a few people said that’s not as bad as an ACL, but it proved to be out of the game for more than a year.”

Jaeger O’Meara has been “outstanding” for Hawthorn. Picture: Michael KleinSource:News Corp Australia

Burton, 20, said captain Jarryd Roughead and Jack Gunston were teaching him tricks up forward, while the backline were like a “brotherhood”.

On O’Meara, he said: “Jaeger’s been outstanding.

“From the get-go he came here, did his rehab and didn’t miss a beat. He’s gained the respect from all the boys and is very well liked around here.

“He’s definitely one of the most professional players I’ve seen.”

Originally published as Burton secures Rising Star gong