Eddie Betts has joined elite company in claiming Adelaide’s Leading Goalkicker Award for a fourth-straight season.
Betts kicked 55 goals to pip captain Taylor Walker by one (54).
He registered multiple goals in 18 of his 24 games, including six against Essendon in Round Four.
Betts, who has kicked 534 career goals, now sits inside the top 50 goalkickers in VFL/AFL history. He ranks eighth all-time for goals by a Crow with 244 from just 93 games.
The mercurial forward has topped Adelaide’s goalkicking in each of his four seasons since joining the Club at the end of 2013. He was also a three-time leading goalkicker at former club Carlton.
Only Tony Modra, who was the Club’s leading scorer for five straight seasons between 1993 – 1997, has won the award at West Lakes on more occasions (five) than Betts.
Scott Welsh is also a four-time winner (2000, 2004, 2005 and 2007).
Betts, 30, maintained his standing as the premier small forward in the competition in 2017, earning a third-consecutive All Australian crown.
One of the game’s great entertainers, Betts continued to wow the football world with his skill and uncanny goal sense.
A back-to-back Goal of the Year winner, Betts was a finalist in the award again this season but fell just short of a three-peat.
He brought teammates into the game, ranking equal-third in the League for goal assists (29) at the end of the season, and applied more tackles inside forward 50m (45) than any other player.
The likeable Betts won the fan-voted AFL’s Footy Personality of the Year.
He qualified for AFL Life Membership in Round 15 when he played his 300th game, including pre-season matches and five International Rules appearances for Australia.
Leading Goalkicker Award winners
1991 – Rodney Jameson (49)
1992 – Scott Hodges (48)
1993 – Tony Modra (129)
1994 – Tony Modra (70)
1995 – Tony Modra (42)
1996 – Tony Modra (75)
1997 – Tony Modra (84)
1998 – Darren Jarman (45)
1999 – Darren Jarman (58)
2000 – Scott Welsh (47)
2001 – Darren Jarman (40)
2002 – Brett Burton (51)
2003 – Graham Johncock (30)
2004 – Scott Welsh (36)
2005 – Scott Welsh (58)
2006 – Mark Ricciuto (44)
2007 – Scott Welsh (49)
2008 – Brett Burton (34)
2009 – Jason Porplyzia (57)
2010 – Kurt Tippett (46)
2011 – Taylor Walker (32)
2012 – Taylor Walker (63)
2013 – Tom Lynch (33)
2014 – Eddie Betts (51)
2015 – Eddie Betts (63)
2016 – Eddie Betts (75)
2017 – Eddie Betts (55)
