Scott Thompson and Eddie Betts both received coaches votes in Adelaide’s loss to Essendon.
Thompson posted the second-highest possession count (41) of his career against the Bombers. Of the prolific midfielder’s 41 touches, 15 were contested – a team high.
He also won a game-high 10 clearances, laid seven tackles and took six marks to claim six votes from Brenton Sanderson and Mark Thompson. The two-time Club Champion has polled a total of 25 coaches votes this season to be the third-ranked Crow behind Patrick Dangerfield (32) and Brodie Smith (28).
Betts was the only other Crow to earn recognition from the coaches. The dangerous forward collected four votes for his highest-possession game in four years, with 21 disposals. Betts took five marks, including four inside 50m, and kicked 3.2 He also assisted in three other goals to be ranked No.3 on Champion Data’s scoreboard impact meter in Round 14.
Bombers midfielder Brendon Goddard was judged the best player on the ground. Goddard racked up 32 possessions, 12 marks, seven inside 50ms and a goal in an influential display. Rebounding defender Michael Hibberd, who gathered 30 touches and six marks, earned seven votes. Dyson Heppell (four votes) rounded out the voting.
Gold Coast captain Gary Ablett extended his lead at the top of the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year leaderboard. Ablett polled three votes against his former side, Geelong, to be seven votes clear of Sydney midfielder Josh Kennedy and Port forward Robbie Gray, who are tied for second place on 60 votes.
Essendon vs Adelaide
9 Brendon Goddard (Ess)
7 Michael Hibberd (Ess)
6 Scott Thompson (Adel)
4 Eddie Betts (Adel)
4 Dyson Heppell (Ess)
Round 14 Leaderboard
67 Gary Ablett (Gold Coast)
60 Robbie Gray (Port Adelaide)
60 Josh Kennedy (Sydney)
56 Nathan Fyfe (Fremantle)
56 Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood)
46 Travis Boak (Port Adelaide)
45 Matthew Priddis (West Coast)
43 Brendon Goddard (Essendon)
42 Lance Franklin (Sydney)
41 Brent Harvey (North Melbourne)
41 Nathan Jones (Melbourne)
41 Tom Liberatore (Western Bulldogs)
Past AFLCA Crows voting
Round 13
Round 12
Round 11
Round 10
Round Nine
Round Seven
Round Six
Round Five
Round Four
Round Three
Round Two
Round One
