Rory Sloane scored a perfect 10 votes from the coaches in his return from an eye injury on Sunday.
Sloane, who missed the previous game against Port Adelaide with a torn retina, amassed 28 possessions, 10 marks, eight clearances, eight tackles and 2.1 in a dominant display against North Melbourne.
The tough onballer’s two goals both came at critical stages of the second half – one against the flow of play from a difficult angle at the Northern end in the third quarter and the other as a result of gut-running and a well-judged mark running back with the flight of the ball in the last term.
Sloane has now jumped into the top 10 of the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year award, with 60 votes.
Kangaroos star Daniel Wells, who kicked three goals and sparked the visitors in the third quarter, received eight votes from coaches Brenton Sanderson and Brad Scott.
In-form Crow Richard Douglas escaped a tag and racked up 27 possessions, five clearances, five inside 50ms and 2.1 to attract six votes. Patrick Dangerfield was adjudged the next-best player on the ground. Shifting between the midfield and forward line, Dangerfield collected 25 possessions, a season and Club-high 13 inside 50ms and 1.2, and was rewarded with four votes. The 2012 All Australian is eighth on the overall leaderboard (64 votes).
Young defender Daniel Talia also earned a vote for his performance on Kangaroos spearhead Drew Petrie, who finished the day goalless. North forward Leigh Adams (one vote) rounded out the voting with his three-goal haul.
Adelaide vs North Melbourne
10 Rory Sloane (Adel)
8 Daniel Wells (North)
6 Richard Douglas (Adel)
4 Patrick Dangerfield (Adel)
1 Leigh Adams (North)
1 Daniel Talia (Adel)
90 Kieren Jack (Syd)
85 Gary Ablett (GC)
79 Scott Pendlebury (Coll)
78 Joel Selwood (Geel)
76 Ryan Griffen (WB)
70 Daniel Hannebery (Syd)
65 Dane Swan (Coll)
64 Patrick Dangerfield (Adel)
63 Nathan Fyfe (Frem)
60 Rory Sloane (Adel)
