Footy Fans Survey 2018: Richmond take out fans vote for best coach and captain, but Bucks closes on Dimma

RICHMOND is the reigning premier and best team in the AFL, so it’s no surprise its coach and captain are rated highly in this year’s Footy Fans Survey, but Nathan Buckley has won plenty of support. RESULTS

NATHAN Buckley has rocketed to third place on the coaches totem pole, but Damien Hardwick and Alastair Clarkson are still the greatest in the eyes of the fans.

The annual Herald Sun Footy Fans Survey reveals reigning premiership coach Hardwick is the best AFL coach by popular opinion, with 31 per cent backing him in. Clarkson is second (25 per cent).

BEST IN IT?: WHY DON’T FANS RATE TOM MITCHELL?

FANS SURVEY: DO WE STILL LOVE OUR GREAT GAME?

CONFIRMED: WHO PLAYS WHERE IN ROUND 23?

BAROMETER: WORST CONFIRMED FOR STAR PIES

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has turned things around at the Pies and fans have noticed. Picture: Getty Images

Buckley’s transformation of Collingwood hasn’t gone unnoticed with 10 per cent of the more than 14,000 fans surveyed ranking him as best coach in the league.

Brisbane leader Chris Fagan, who has inspired the Lions to upset win against Hawthorn twice this year, has also been ranked highly with 6 per cent support, ranking him ahead of Adam Simpson (5 per cent), mentor of premiership fancy West Coast.

Tigers chief executive Brendon Gale highlighted the strength of Hardwick’s relationship with his players when he announced a three-year contract extension to the team earlier this year.

Just as the players embraced him on that day, football fans have too.

You’d be smiling too if you were as good at the coaching game as Alastair Clarkson. Picture: Getty Images

“Four finals series in five years culminating in a drought breaking premiership was massive for the club,” Gale told the players.

“Huge credit to (Hardwick), huge credit to the coaching department (and) the football department.

“Huge credit to the extent to which he’s invested and committed to you (the players) and huge credit about the extent to which you guys have committed to him as well.

“It’s obvious in the way you play, week in, week out.”

It’s no surprise fans rate Tigers leaders Damien Hardwick and Trent Cotchin highly. Picture: AFL Media/Getty Images

Hardwick is joined at the top of the leadership table by his premiership captain Trent Cotchin, with 23 per cent of fans saying the Tiger is the best captain in the league.

Joel Selwood (19 per cent) ranks second with Magpies skipper Scott Pendlebury (14 per cent) third.

COMPLETE THE SURVEY BELOW FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN GRAND FINAL TICKETS

Watch every match of every round of the 2018 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. SIGN UP NOW >

Originally published as Footy Fans Survey 2018: Richmond take out fans vote for best coach and captain, but Bucks closes on Dimma