In-form forward Eddie Betts collected nine votes from the coaches at Metricon Stadium on Saturday night.
Betts kicked five goals without miss and assisted in another two goals in the Club’s 41-point win. Adelaide’s 2014 leading goalkicker has now kicked 14 goals in his last three games to take his season tally to 20 – ranked second in the Coleman Medal behind West Coast spearhead Josh Kennedy.
Crows ruckman Sam Jacobs was adjudged the next-best player on the ground by Phil Walsh and Rodney Eade. Rucking alone in the absence of the injured Josh Jenkins, Jacobs collected 21 possessions and six marks to go with 28 hit-outs and a brilliant goal on the run.
The leading possession-getter on the ground, Rory Laird received five votes. Laird amassed an equal career-high 29 disposals against the Suns. He also took nine marks, including three contested, and provided great assistance to Adelaide’s key defenders. Of Laird’s 29 touches, 13 were contested and he also won a team-high seven hard-ball gets.
Captain Taylor Walker, who kicked four goals and took an equal-game high 12 marks, earned three votes, while Matthew Wright received two. Playing a greater midfield role, Wright amassed 28 touches, an equal-round high eight inside 50ms and four clearances.
Gold Coast star Dion Prestia (two) and young defenders Ahmed Saad (one) and Alex Sexton (one) shared the remaining votes.
Fremantle star Nat Fyfe, who received eight another votes in Fremantle’s win over Essendon, extended his lead at the top of the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year leaderboard.
Fyfe is now 19 votes clear of St Kilda midfielder David Armitage, who has rocketed into second place overall. Sydney Swans onballer Dan Hannebery and Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury are tied for third place with 30 votes. Rory Sloane remains Adelaide’s highest-ranked player on 21 votes.
Gold Coast vs Adelaide
9 Eddie Betts (Adel)
7 Sam Jacobs (Adel)
5 Rory Laird (Adel)
3 Taylor Walker (Adel)
2 Dion Prestia (GCS)
2 Matthew Wright (Adel)
1 Ahmed Saad (GCS)
1 Alex Sexton (GCS)
Round Six Leaderboard
50 Nat Fyfe (Fre)
31 David Armitage (StK)
30 Dan Hannebery (Syd)
30 Scott Pendlebury (Coll)
29 Dylan Shiel (GWS)
27 Tom McDonald (Melb)
26 Josh Kennedy (Syd)
23 David Mundy (Fre)
23 Matt Priddis (WC)
22 Todd Goldstein (NM)
Past Crows voting
Round Five
Round Four
Round Three
Round Two
Round One
