Star Crow Rory Sloane has moved into equal-second place in the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year award.
Sloane, 26, polled maximum votes from Don Pyke and Adam Simpson in Adelaide’s come-from-behind win over West Coast at Domain Stadium on Saturday night.
The industrious midfielder racked up 29 possessions, including 17 contested, to go with nine clearances and five inside 50ms. He also laid six tackles and assisted directly in two Crows goals.
Sloane joins Sydney Swans onballer Dan Hannebery on 55 votes just behind former Adelaide teammate Patrick Dangerfield, who leads the way with 56 votes.
Brilliant forward Eddie Betts earned eight votes against the Eagles to rise to equal-10th spot overall.
Betts has polled 40 votes this season to sit level with ex-Carlton teammate Bryce Gibbs. Betts booted five goals from 14 possessions in Adelaide’s 29-point victory over West Coast.
Defender Rory Laird continued his vote-getting form with another four votes.
Laird, who has attracted votes in both games since returning from a fractured toe, chalked up 25 disposals and 10 marks on Saturday night.
Hit-up forward Tom Lynch, who also took 10 marks, was awarded three votes. Lynch finished with 23 possessions and one goal. He was involved in more scores (13) than any other player on the ground.
Brownlow Medallist Matt Priddis was the only Eagle to poll votes (three). Priddis battled hard for his team, winning 29 possessions and eight clearances, and also laying 12 tackles.
Crows ruckman Sam Jacobs (two) rounded out the voting. Jacobs worked hard around the ground to combat West Coast star Nic Naitanui. He amassed 36 hit-outs, 14 possessions, seven marks and two goal assists.
Sloane was one of only five players to earn a perfect 10 on the weekend.
Dangerfield, Western Bulldogs sensation Marcus Bontempelli, prolific St Kilda ball winner Jack Steven and Dustin Martin of Richmond also received top votes in Round 12. Martin and Bontempelli have climbed to sixth and seventh on the overall leaderboard, respectively.
Adelaide v West Coast
10 – Rory Sloane (Adelaide)
8 – Eddie Betts (Adelaide)
4 – Rory Laird (Adelaide)
3 – Tom Lynch (Adelaide)
3 – Matt Priddis (West Coast)
2 – Sam Jacobs (Adelaide)
Round 12 Leaderboard
56 – Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)
55 – Rory Sloane (Adelaide)
55 – Dan Hannebery (Sydney Swans)
52 – Joel Selwood (Geelong)
47 – Todd Goldstein (North Melbourne)
46 – Dustin Martin (Richmond)
41 – Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs)
41 – Tom Lynch (Gold Coast)
41 – Jack Ziebell (North Melbourne)
40 – Eddie Betts (Adelaide)
40 – Bryce Gibbs (Carlton)
Crows Leaderboard
55 – Rory Sloane
40 – Eddie Betts
23 – Tom Lynch
22 – Josh Jenkins
17 – Taylor Walker
16 – Brodie Smith
15 – Scott Thompson
12 – Rory Laird
9 – Luke Brown
8 – Matt Crouch
6 – Daniel Talia
4 – Charlie Cameron
3 – Rory Atkins
3 – Kyle Cheney
3 – Richard Douglas
2 – Sam Jacobs
1 – Kyle Hartigan
1 – Jake Lever
