The AFL will let Rising Star favourite Daniel Rich stay in Brisbane for Wednesday's awards ceremony.

It will be a massive shock if the Lions' Rich does not win the award for the league's best young player.

The Lions play Carlton at the `Gabba in Saturday night's elimination final and they don't want to interrupt his weekly routine ahead of the big game.

The AFL will instead have a video link to Brisbane on standby for the lunchtime Rising Star function.

"The AFL has agreed with the Brisbane Lions that Daniel should not travel," a league spokesman said.

"The Brisbane team obviously didn't get back home until midday on Sunday.

"They also obviously are in a final, the first they've played in for five years, and we will have a video link organised if Daniel is successful.

"We fully understand their situation."

Ben Cousins also did not travel from Perth in 1996 when he won the Rising Star award.

It has become standard practice for non-Victorian teams to keep their players at home for the Brownlow Medal count if they have made the grand final.

Rich was this year's round-one nominee after going to the Lions with pick seven in the national draft.

He has enjoyed an outstanding debut season and is the popular choice to receive the Ron Evans Medal as the Rising Star winner.

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