For the second straight year, Eddie Betts is the Adelaide Football Club’s Leading Goalkicker.
Betts, 28, kicked 58 goals in the home and away season to finish third in the Coleman Medal.
The clever small forward bagged another five in the Club’s Elimination Final win over the Western Bulldogs to increase his season tally to a career-high 63 goals. It eclipsed his previous best effort of 51 goals in his first year as a Crow (2014). Betts’ first goal against the Bulldogs in September was his 400th career goal. He’s one of only 10 current players to achieve the feat.
Betts kicked a goal in all bar one game in 2015 and boasted the best accuracy (70.7 per cent) of any of the top 10 goalkickers. He became the third-quickest Crow to kick 100 goals for the Club, reaching the milestone in just his 40th game against Essendon in Round 20.
He ranked second in the AFL in scoreboard impact, which includes scores, accuracy and assists, and was fifth in the League for forward 50m tackles in the home and away season.
Betts was the hottest property in the AFL between rounds four and nine when he bagged 26 goals and supplied several goal and mark of the year contenders. His left-foot torpedo from the boundary at Adelaide Oval against Fremantle in Round Nine is one of the three finalists for Goal of the Year.
The Leading Goalkicker Award caps off a successful week for Betts, who was recognised with his first All Australian crown on Tuesday night. The fan favourite, who was named in a forward pocket, was nominated in 2011, 2012 and 2014, but missed out on selection in the final 22 in all three seasons.
Betts is the sixth player to win multiple Leading Goalkicker awards for the Crows.
Captain Taylor Walker, who topped the goalkicking in 2011 and 2012, is the only other current player to achieve the feat. Adelaide’s all-time leading goalkicker, Tony Modra, won the award in five-consecutive seasons (1993 – 1997). Scott Welsh is a four-time winner, while premiership hero Darren Jarman went back-to-back in 1998 – 1999. Brett Burton is also a two-time winner.
Only Modra, who kicked bags of 129, 84, 75 and 70, has kicked more goals in a single season for the Crows than Betts. Walker equalled Betts’ effort of 63 goals in just 19 matches in Season 2012.
Adelaide Football Club 2015 Leading Goalkickers
63 – Eddie Betts
59 – Taylor Walker
46 – Josh Jenkins
32 – Tom Lynch
29 – Charlie Cameron
Adelaide Football Club Leading Goalkickers
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)
