Essendon defender Tayte Pears has been rewarded for his excellent shut-down job on Brendan Fevola with the Round 13 nomination for the AFL Rising Star Award.

Pears gathered 21 possessions in the 69-point win over Carlton last Friday night, while limiting Fevola to just two goals.

The 19-year-old Pears has played on some of the league's best key forwards in 2009 including Daniel Bradshaw, Jarryd Roughead, Justin Koschitzke and Matthew Pavlich.

After starring for WA in the 2007 Under-18 national championships he was selected by the Bombers with pick 23 in that year's national draft.

Pears is Essendon's second Rising Star nominee this year, following David Zaharakis.

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