Adelaide vice-captain Rory Sloane could create history by winning the AFL Players’ Association Robert Rose Award for the most courageous player of the season.
Sloane has been voted by his teammates as Adelaide’s most courageous player to contend for this year’s Robert Rose Award. No Crow has ever won the honour in the award’s 27-year history.
The 27-year-old is widely recognised as one of the bravest midfielders in the competition.
Sloane finished the year as the League’s top tackler (176) and was the leading pressure player of the season.
He played every game and overcame close attention from opposition clubs to finish top 10 in the AFL for contested possessions (296), clearances (139) and inside 50ms (101).
Sloane suffered a concussion against Melbourne in Darwin in Round 17 but inspired Adelaide to a crucial win over Geelong just six days later with 28 possessions and three goals as a testament to his courage and tenacity.
All Australian Rory Laird was the Club’s Robert Rose contender over the past two seasons. The title was won by Sydney’s Luke Parker in both 2015 and 2016.
Collingwood’s Gavin Brown earned the inaugural Robert Rose Award in 1991 and 13 different winners have been crowned since.
Former North Melbourne defender Glenn Archer was recognised as the League’s most courageous player on six occasions ahead of former Swan Paul Kelly, who won the award five times.
Geelong captain Joel Selwood has the most Robert Rose Awards of any current player (four) and is again among this year’s nominees.
The Robert Rose Award will be among a host of awards to be presented at the AFL Players’ Association MVP Awards on Tuesday, September 12.
The AFLPA will also present the Leigh Matthews Trophy for the AFL’s most valuable player, crown the League’s best captain of the season, which was won by Adelaide’s Taylor Walker last year, and recognise the best first-year player of Season 2017.
ROBERT ROSE NOMINEES FOR MOST COURAGEOUS PLAYER
Adelaide: Rory Sloane
Brisbane: Darcy Gardiner
Carlton: Matthew Kreuzer
Collingwood: Tyson Goldsack
Essendon: Mark Baguley
Fremantle: Nathan Fyfe
Geelong: Joel Selwood
Gold Coast: David Swallow
GWS Giants: Callan Ward
Hawthorn: Luke Hodge
Melbourne: Jack Viney
North Melbourne: Jack Ziebell
Port Adelaide: Tom Jonas
Richmond: Dylan Grimes
St Kilda: Jarryn Geary
Sydney: Callum Mills
West Coast: Jeremy McGovern
Western Bulldogs: Dale Morris
