The coached adjudged Brodie Smith to be the best Crows player in Balfours Showdown XXXVI.
Smith, who signed a two-year contract extension this week, received four votes from Brenton Sanderson and Port Adelaide counterpart Ken Hinkley. Playing across half-back and pushing up onto a wing, Smith amassed 28 possessions, seven marks, seven inside 50ms, five tackles, two score assists and also kicked the goal to put Adelaide in front on Saturday.
Richard Douglas polled two votes in his remarkable return from a groin injury. Douglas collected a team-high 29 possessions (15 contested) and 10 inside 50ms, six clearances, three tackles and also kicked a long, running goal to help inspire a Crows comeback in the third quarter.
Joint-vice captain Rory Sloane was the other Adelaide player to earn recognition from the coaches. Sloane was at his gut-running best, working tirelessly to help out the Crows defenders. He racked up 27 possessions, six marks, five inside 50ms and also laid five tackles to attract one coaches’ vote.
Full-back Daniel Talia was the only Crow to earn votes in Round One. Talia earned three votes for holding Geelong spearhead Tom Hawkins to a solitary goal.
St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt (19 votes) is the overall leader in the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year. Cats captain Joel Selwood (16) and Essendon star Brendon Goddard (15) round out the top three.
Round Two
Port Adelaide vs Adelaide
8 Hamish Hartlett (PA)
7 Brad Ebert (PA)
4 Jack Hombsch (PA)
4 Brodie Smith (Adel)
3 Chad Wingard (PA)
2 Richard Douglas (Adel)
1 Jared Polec (PA)
1 Rory Sloane (Adel)
Round One
Geelong vs Adelaide
10 Joel Selwood (Geel)
6 Jimmy Bartel (Geel)
4 James Kelly (Geel)
4 Andrew Mackie (Geel)
3 Steve Johnson (Geel)
3 Daniel Talia (Adel)
Round Two Leaderboard
19 Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda)
16 Joel Selwood (Geelong)
15 Brendon Goddard (Essendon)
13 Nat Fyfe (Fremantle)
13 Steve Johnson (Geelong)
13 Callan Ward (GWS)
12 Matthew Rosa (West Coast)
11 Jobe Watson (Essendon)
10 Gary Ablett (Gold Coast)
10 Brandon Ellis (Richmond)
10 Stephen Hill (Fremantle)
10 Mark LeCras (West Coast)
10 Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood)
10 Luke Shuey (West Coast)
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