Only two Crows polled coaches’ votes against North Melbourne in Hobart last weekend.
Richard Douglas earned four votes from Brenton Sanderson and Brad Scott.
Douglas collected 27 disposals to be Adelaide’s (equal) leading-possession getter on the ground. The 2010 Club Champion won more clearances (10) than any other Crow and also generated an equal-game high seven inside 50ms. He laid five tackles and assisted in a goal to be one of his team’s better players in the disappointing seven-point loss.
Veteran midfielder Scott Thompson (one vote) was the only other Crow to feature in the voting for the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year award. Thompson also finished with 27 touches in his return from a hamstring injury. As always, Thompson was strong at the contest, winning seven clearances and laying seven tackles. He sent the ball inside Adelaide’s attacking 50m six times and assisted in a goal.
North Melbourne match winner Jack Ziebell was unanimously voted best on ground. Ziebell earned a perfect 10 votes for his influential display, which included 25 possessions and four goals. Skipper Andrew Swallow was judged to be the next-best player on the ground, collecting five votes. Swallow won 24 touches, 11 clearances and laid five tackles. Half-back Nick Dal Santo, who was prominent in the first half, earned four votes after gathering 28 disposals. Ruckman Todd Goldstein (three votes) and onballers Levi Greenwood (two) and Sam Gibson (one) rounded out the voting.
With a round to play, Port Adelaide midfielder/forward Robbie Gray (102 votes) has been crowned the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year. Gray polled 10 votes in his side’s big win over Carlton to leapfrog suspended Fremantle star Nathan Fyfe (95 votes) into first place.
Fyfe, who trails Gray by seven votes, will miss again through suspension this week, giving Gray an unassailable lead heading into Round 23. Sydney Swans onballer Josh Kennedy, who hasn’t polled a vote for two weeks because of a hamstring injury, is currently third on 83 votes ahead of teammate Lance Franklin (80 votes).
The Crows Club Champion award could be headed for a tight finish if the AFLCA votes are anything to go by. Patrick Dangerfield leads Adelaide’s voting with 47 ahead of a logjam of players including Scott Thompson and Brodie Smith, who are both on 37, Rory Sloane (35) and Sam Jacobs (34).
North Melbourne vs Adelaide
10 Jack Ziebell (NM)
5 Andrew Swallow (NM)
4 Nick Dal Santo (NM)
4 Richard Douglas (Adel)
3 Todd Goldstein (NM)
2 Levi Greenwood (NM)
1 Sam Gibson (NM)
1 Scott Thompson (Adel)
Round 22 Leaderboard
102 Robbie Gray (Port Adelaide)
95 Nathan Fyfe (Fremantle)
83 Josh Kennedy (Sydney)
80 Lance Franklin (Sydney)
72 Gary Ablett Gold (Coast)
72 Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood)
72 Matthew Priddis (West Coast)
68 Dyson Heppell (Essendon)
65 Luke Parker (Sydney)
64 Joel Selwood (Geelong)
Crows Leaderboard
47 Patrick Dangerfield
37 Brodie Smith
37 Scott Thompson
35 Rory Sloane
34 Sam Jacobs
23 Eddie Betts
18 Taylor Walker
13 Josh Jenkins
13 Daniel Talia
9 Tom Lynch
7 Matthew Jaensch
6 Brodie Martin
6 Brad Crouch
6 Richard Douglas
5 James Podsiadly
4 David Mackay
3 Kyle Hartigan
2 Rory Laird
1 Matt Crouch
1 Ricky Henderson
1 Andy Otten
Past Crows AFLCA voting
Round 22
Round 21
Round 19
Round 18
Round 17
Round 16
Round 15
Round 14
Round 13
Round 12
Round 11
Round 10
Round Nine
Round Seven
Round Six
Round Five
Round Four
Round Three
Round Two
Round One
