After playing every pre-season match in the 2016 NAB Challenge , Harmes started the season playing in the AFL when he played in the two-point win against Greater Western Sydney at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in round one . Stating that he plays his best football when he wins contested possessions , he was named the round seven Rising Star nominee in the seventy-three point win against , where he recorded twenty-six disposals — eleven of which were contested — three goals , and five tackles . He missed his first match for the season when he was omitted for the Queen 's Birthday clash against in round twelve . He returned to the side for the twenty-two point loss against at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in round fifteen . He missed only one match for the remainder of the season , the round twenty-two match against at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to finish with nineteen matches for the season and place nineteenth overall in the club best and fairest count
Rising Star
2016 AFL Rising Star
James Harmes