Rory Sloane has extended his lead in the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year.
Sloane polled seven votes in Adelaide’s 100-point win over Fremantle to move six votes clear of West Coast utility Elliot Yeo.
The Crows vice-captain finished with 30 possessions, 13 tackles, eight clearances, five inside 50ms and two goals at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.
However, Sloane wasn’t the best player on the ground according to coaches Don Pyke and Ross Lyon.
That honour and 10 votes went to young onballer Matt Crouch. Crouch gathered 30 disposals, six tackles, five clearances and five inside 50ms in a wet-weather football masterclass.
Crouch was one of five players to earn maximum votes in Round 10.
Western Bulldogs forward Jake Stringer, Richmond star Dustin Martin and midfield duo Bryce Gibbs (Carlton) and Callan Ward (Greater Western Sydney) were also unanimously judged best afield in Indigenous Round. Martin now sits in fourth spot overall, 10 votes behind Sloane.
Eldest Crouch brother, Brad, received seven votes. Brad won an equal-game high eight clearances from 30 possessions, to go with six inside 50ms and six tackles.
Defender Jake Lever was recognised with four votes.
Lever dominated across half-back, taking an equal-round high 11 marks. He amassed a season-high 29 possessions, including 16 intercept possessions. He also had a combined 12 inside and rebound 50ms.
The leading possession-getter on the ground, Rory Atkins rounded out the voting (two). Atkins recorded a personal best 37 disposals, six marks and 10 combined inside and rebound 50ms.
Adelaide v Fremantle
10 – Matt Crouch (Adel)
7 – Brad Crouch (Adel)
7 – Rory Sloane (Adel)
4 – Jake Lever (Adel)
2 – Rory Atkins (Adel)
AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year Leaderboard
53 – Rory Sloane (Adel)
47 – Elliot Yeo (WC)
46 – Joel Selwood (Geel)
43 – Dustin Martin (Rich)
42 – Clayton Oliver (Melb)
40 – Scott Pendlebury (Coll)
39 – Patrick Dangerfield (Geel)
33 – Taylor Adams (Coll)
32 – Gary Ablett (GC)
32 – Sebastian Ross (St K)
Crows Leaderboard
53 – Rory Sloane
25 – Rory Laird
19 – Matt Crouch
19 – Taylor Walker
17 – Sam Jacobs
16 – Eddie Betts
12 – Charlie Cameron
10 – Brad Crouch
9 – Rory Atkins
9 – Jake Lever
7 – Richard Douglas
6 – Tom Lynch
3 – Brodie Smith
2 – Luke Brown
2 – Kyle Hartigan
1 – Josh Jenkins
