At the start of the AFL season, the most tentative of parallels were drawn between Greater Western Sydney and Kevin Sheedy’s Baby Bombers.

They still look odd, given GWS won’t win the AFL premiership this season, but the expansion side could well outdo Sheedy’s 1993 premiers in Rising Star nominees.

The award was introduced the same season Sheedy took a young Essendon squad all the way to the ultimate success, with the likes of James Hird and Dustin Fletcher earning Rising Star nominations along the way.

Essendon’s five nominees that year is an AFL record, matched only by Fremantle in 1996.

GWS have garnered three nominations after seven rounds, with the latest being Stephen Coniglio for his role in the side’s maiden win on Saturday.

Coniglio gathered 31 possessions as the Giants beat fellow newcomers Gold Coast by 27 points in Canberra.

“It’s a nice accolade to have, I’m very proud and honoured,” the No.2 draft pick said.

“Obviously, there would have been a lot of boys that could have won the nomination for this round – especially a few of the Giants’ boys.”

Coniglio’s not wrong – and given GWS’s rotation policy, there’s every chance others will be recognised.

Sheedy hopes Coniglio’s teammates are nominated in due time.

“He and our other young midfielders such as Toby Greene, Dylan Shiel and Devon Smith have shown tremendous consistency and maturity for their age and experience,” Sheedy said.

“He is our third Rising Star nomination so far this year after Jeremy Cameron and Tom Bugg and hopefully he won’t be the last.”

Coniglio, favourite to win the Rising Star in the AFL’s annual pre-season captains’ poll, said he’d be happy provided someone from GWS claims the award.

But such individual honours are unlikely to match the feeling his side is still savouring after their breakthrough win.

“Once you win, it doesn’t matter what happens individually,” he said ahead of Sunday’s match against the Lions in Brisbane.

“We’re just rapt to have finally gotten off the duck and hopefully we’ll have two wins soon.

“It does a lot for the team’s confidence … the feeling that you get after a win, especially with a new team, is fantastic and we want that again. We want more success.”