Crow Brodie Smith earned maximum votes from the coaches at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Despite being concussed and taken off on a stretcher early in the final quarter, Smith amassed 29 possessions, eight inside 50ms, seven marks and kicked a goal. The influential wingman gained more metres than any player on the ground and was involved in 12 of Adelaide’s scores.
The dominant display earned the All Australian 10 votes from Phil Walsh and Nathan Buckley. Smith was one of five players to receive a perfect 10 on the weekend. The two Josh Kennedy’s, West Coast’s 10-goal hero and the Sydney Swans midfielder, North Melbourne ruckman and superstar Nat Fyfe, who has polled top votes in both of Fremantle’s games this season, were the others.
Adelaide’s leading possession-winner, Rory Sloane, was awarded eight coaches’ votes. Sloane racked up 30 touches, won a game-high nine clearances, took eight marks and laid four tackles. He also had five score assists – ranked No.1 in the AFL for Round Two.
Defender Daniel Talia was adjudged the next-best player on the ground, with four votes. Talia held direct opponent Travis Cloke to one goal from nine touches, while gathering a career-high 24 disposals.
Like Sloane, Patrick Dangerfield polled votes for the second week in a row. Dangerfield finished with 29 disposals, eight clearances, eight inside 50ms and two goals to earn three votes. Ruckman Sam Jacobs (three votes) was rewarded for being the dominant ruckman on the ground. Jacobs won 32 hit-outs to go with 24 possessions and nine marks in his battle with fellow South Australian Brodie Grundy.
Dashing half-back Ricky Henderson polled one vote after racking up 25 touches and generating a game-high nine inside 50ms. Captain Scott Pendlebury, who gathered 32 disposals, was the only Collingwood player to receive a vote in his team’s 27-point loss.
Fyfe (20) is on top of the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year leaderboard after two rounds, one vote clear of Greater Western Sydney onballer Dylan Shiel (19). Swans pair Josh Kennedy (16) and Kieren Jack (14) round out the top four. Sloane is in a logjam of players on 12 votes, while Smith, Dangerfield and skipper Taylor Walker are all on 10 votes.
Collingwood v Adelaide
10 – Brodie Smith (Adel)
8 – Rory Sloane (Adel)
4 – Daniel Talia (Adel)
3 – Patrick Dangerfield (Adel)
3 – Sam Jacobs (Adel)
1 – Ricky Henderson (Adel)
1 – Scott Pendlebury (Coll)
Leaderboard after Round Two
Nathan Fyfe (Fremantle) – 20
Dylan Shiel (GWS) – 19
Josh Kennedy (Sydney Swans) – 16
Kieren Jack (Sydney Swans) – 14
Tom McDonald (Melbourne) – 12
David Mundy (Fremantle) – 12
Rory Sloane (Adelaide) – 12
Dan Hannebery (Sydney Swans) – 11
Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs)– 10
Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide) – 10
Todd Goldstein (North Melbourne) – 10
Josh Kennedy (West Coast) – 10
Jordan Lewis (Hawthorn) – 10
Jeremy McGovern (West Coast) – 10
Steele Sidebottom (Collingwood) – 10
Brodie Smith (Adelaide) – 10
Taylor Walker (Adelaide) – 10
