Crows Rory Sloane and Eddie Betts have surged into the top 10 of the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year award.
Sloane, 26, has moved into seventh spot overall after scoring maximum votes against Fremantle.
Sloane polled a perfect 10 from Don Pyke and Ross Lyon at Adelaide Oval on Saturday afternoon.
The influential midfielder amassed a team-high 31 possessions and also topped Adelaide’s tackle count (eight). He took seven marks, won four clearances, generated four inside 50ms, kicked a goal and assisted in two others.
Four-goal forward Eddie Betts was judged the next-best player on the ground, collecting eight votes. Betts finished with 17 possessions and five inside 50ms. He now sits equal-10th on the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year leaderboard.
Michael Walters was the only Docker to receive votes in Adelaide’s 33-point win. Walters starred for his team, kicking three goals from 29 possessions and laying seven tackles in a greater midfield role.
Crows defender Luke Brown, who racked up a career-high 27 touches, was awarded four votes. Brown also generated a career and game-high eight rebound 50ms and gained more metres (523) than any other Crow.
Tom Lynch polled votes for the second time this season. Lynch generated a team-high six inside 50ms, took seven marks and kicked two goals to earn two votes from the coaches.
Backman Kyle Hartigan was recognised for one of the best games of his short AFL career. Hartigan, who attracted one vote, won a season-high 18 possessions at 88.9 per cent efficiency. He laid five tackles in defensive 50m – the equal-most of any player for the round and took four marks from opposition kicks – ranked equal-fourth on the weekend.
Sloane, who has polled votes in four of the six games this season, was one of six players to earn 10 votes in Round Six. Sydney Swans champion Lance Franklin, St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt, Greater Western Sydney forward Rory Lobb, Joel Selwood of Geelong and Port Adelaide’s Matthew Broadbent also achieved perfect 10s.
Former Crow Patrick Dangerfield (35) has moved to the top of the leaderboard, one vote clear of Gold Coast goalkicker Tom Lynch and Swans onballer Luke Parker.
Adelaide v Fremantle
10 – Rory Sloane (Adelaide)
8 – Eddie Betts (Adelaide)
5 – Michael Walters (Fremantle)
4 – Luke Brown (Adelaide)
2 – Tom Lynch (Adelaide)
1 – Kyle Hartigan
Round 6 Leaderboard
35 – Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)
34 – Tom Lynch (Gold Coast)
34 – Luke Parker (Sydney Swans)
31 – Jack Viney (Melbourne)
30 – Todd Goldstein (North Melbourne)
29 – Joel Selwood (Geelong)
28 – Rory Sloane (Adelaide)
26 – Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn)
24 – Jarrad Waite (North Melbourne)
23 – Eddie Betts (Adelaide)
23 – Jack Ziebell (North Melbourne)
23 – Lachie Hunter (Western Bulldogs)
Crows Leaderboard
28 – Rory Sloane
23 – Eddie Betts
15 – Scott Thompson
12 – Tom Lynch
9 – Brodie Smith
6 – Josh Jenkins
9 – Luke Brown
5 – Rory Laird
3 – Kyle Cheney
3 – Richard Douglas
1 – Daniel Talia
1 – Kyle Hartigan
