ON Tuesday, young defender Andy Otten joined ranks with teammate Patrick Dangerfield to help break a 10-year drought at Adelaide.

Otten’s achievement in becoming the round nine NAB Rising Star nominee has seen the club secure multiple nominations in a single season for the first time since veteran Brett Burton and ex-midfielder David Gallagher were both given the nod in 1999.

The Crows also had two players in the running to win the award in 1994 (Matthew Kluzek and Sean Wellman) and 1997 (Kane Johnson and Peter Vardy), but have never received three in the same year.

Assistant coach Mark Bickley, who played alongside Johnson and Vardy in the premiership years of 1997 and 1998, said the club record was under threat this season.

“Andy’s nomination is exciting, especially considering there are still a few more candidates,” Bickley told afc.com.au.

“If you look at Taylor Walker you’d say that he has a real strong chance [to earn a nomination] and we’ve also had Jared Petrenko and Myke Cook make their debuts this year too.”

The Crows have now had 15 players, including current-day players Andrew McLeod and Brent Reilly, nominated for the Rising Star award since its inception in 1993.

In 1999, Burton fell just nine votes shy of becoming the Norwich Rising Star (as it was known back then) behind eventual winner Adam Goodes.

Past winners of the award also include Nathan Buckley (1993), Ben Cousins (1996), Nick Riewoldt (2002) and Joel Selwood (2007).

Bickley said earning a prestigious NAB Rising Star nomination was seen as a pathway for young footballers today.

“If you look back at the past couple of years and see the players that have been nominated a lot have gone on to become really good players,” Bickley said.

“For the young guys, it’s recognition that they’re on the right track. Andy has been getting plenty of feedback from within the club, but I’m sure it’s nice to get some recognition from outside the club too.”

The Crows have taken a deliberate approach to rejuvenating their squad over the past three years.

Adelaide now has 10 teenagers on its senior list and second-year players like Otten, Walker and round-three NAB Rising Star nominee Dangerfield are playing significant roles within the team.

Last season, young Queenslander Kurt Tippett won Adelaide’s first NAB Rising Star nomination since 2004.

Bickley said it was a bit of a novelty for Adelaide fans to see so many young faces at West Lakes.

“They first and second-year players are a really good bunch and it’s been a long while since we’ve had such a big number of young guys,” Bickley said.

“In the first game, I think we had five 19-year-olds playing, so that very fact alone is exciting.”

The Crows have blooded three debutants in the opening nine rounds and there are several others pressing for selection.

Tony Armstrong has been named as an emergency over the past fortnight and promising draftee Shaun McKernan is also on the cusp.

Soon to be fan favourite Rory Sloane is also on the comeback after a knee injury.

“Shaun McKernan is certainly pushing up there,” Bickley said.

“He’s been playing meaningful time for South Adelaide in the ruck and also at centre half-forward and centre half-back. To be playing key positions in the SANFL at age 18 is a real credit to him.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if both Shaun and Rory got an opportunity at some stage during the year.”