Every clubs B&F: Who will win your club’s best-and-fairest award in 2020?
Travis Boak finished second in the Brownlow Medal but he has been upstaged in the John Cahill Medal count by a player who no longer flies under the radar.
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Darcy Byrne-Jones has upstaged Travis Boak to claim his first John Cahill Medal as Port Adelaide’s best-and-fairest in 2020.
Byrne-Jones finished second in last year’s count and was able to go one better in 2020, pipping the reigning medallist Boak by 23 votes.
The 25-year-old dashing defender had a breakout year in 2020 when his consistent displays off halfback were finally rewarded by those outside of Port Adelaide.
Byrne-Jones was selected as an All-Australian as the Power claimed the minor premiership before being eliminated at the preliminary final stage, but he polled just two votes in the Brownlow Medal count.
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He never thought he would be drafted in the first place, let alone a John Cahill Medallist.
But Byrne-Jones said it is helping the Power take the next step after their preliminary final loss that is driving him rather than personal honours.
The 25-year-old thought Boak would win, saying he thought “I wasn’t going to finish anywhere” despite a second-placed finish in 2019.
“It probably hasn’t really sunk in yet but a great sense of pride winning the award and for the club to have such a good year as well is a real bonus,” he said.
“I guess for me personally I don’t think too much about personal awards and All-Australian and that.
“My main priority was to continue to win games and for us to finish on the top of the ladder is great but all the personal stuff like the All-Australian and this award come after that.”
Selected with Pick No. 52 in the 2013 Draft, Byrne-Jones said he never thought he would be picked up by a club and said it took him a few years to come out of his shell at Alberton.
Senior coach Ken Hinkley joked on stage that “Hank never talks to me”.
But Byrne-Jones relentless approach on the field has won him the respect of Hinkley and the Power coaches but also the wider AFL community.
He said Port needed to build on its 2020 season and couldn’t get complacent.
“We finished one kick away from beating Richmond and getting into the granny so that tells you we are not far off being where we want to be,” he said.
“There are always personal things you can improve on and things as a team you can improve on so if we go into this pre-season complacent and happy with what we have achieved we will go backwards.
“So we will sit down as a group and I’m sure the coaching group has already reviewed everything and we will have things to work on next year and I’m sure we will come back bigger, better and ready to go.”
In his first year as solo captain, Tom Jonas was third while second-year sensation Zak Butters finished fourth.
Trent McKenzie’s stellar 2020, in which he not only salvaged his career but became a mainstay in Port Adelaide’s backline, in an equal-fifth place finish with vice-captain Ollie Wines.
Dan Houston, Tom Rockliff, Charlie Dixon and Karl Amon round out the top 10.
While Boak didn’t go home with the John Cahill Medal, the former captain did win the Fos Williams Medal as the Power’s best team man voted by his teammates.
This was the second year in a row Boak won the award, and for a record fifth time in his career.
Wines was named the best finals player for the Power, Butters won the Gavin Wanganeen Award as the best player under 21 and McKenzie took home the Coaches’ Award.
The John McCarthy Medal for work in the community went to retiring veteran Justin Westhoff for his ongoing work supporting people experiencing homelessness – his second win in that category after taking home the award in 2018.
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Skipper's heartfelt message to Shaw during B&F
North Melbourne captain Jack Ziebell last night publicly reached out to former coach Rhyce Shaw as the Kangaroos put a full stop on their season from hell.
Ziebell sent the club’s love to Shaw during the Syd Barker medal webcast – the best and fairest won for the first time by defender Luke McDonald.
Shaw this month reached a settlement with the club after taking time out for personal reasons following a 3-14 season that began with high hopes under the first-year coach.
"I just wanted to extend our thanks to our coach, Rhyce Shaw, no doubt going through a tough period right now," Ziebell said.
"Just wanted to shout you out mate and say that we love you and I've got no doubt that every player on the list right now is standing right behind you, going through what you're going through. So good luck mate and hopefully you're feeling better soon."
McDonald finished comfortably ahead of midfielders Jy Simpkin and Jed Anderson in the best and fairest count.
McDonald played all 17 games and polled 183 votes switching between tagging and more traditional defensive roles following a 2019 season that was cut short due to a broken ankle.
The 25-year-old has played 126 games since being taken at pick No. 8 in the 2013 National Draft as a father-son selection (his father is Donald McDonald).
Simpkin, 22, also played every game and polled 140 votes while Anderson played two fewer games and finished on 138 votes.
Veteran ruckman Todd Goldstein (131 votes) and winger Trent Dumont (128 votes) were the only other players to finish in triple figures.
Top 10
Luke McDonald – 183
Jy Simpkin – 140
Jed Anderson – 138
Todd Goldstein – 131
Trent Dumont – 128
Robbie Tarrant – 93
Josh Walker – 92
Shaun Higgins – 88
Ben McKay – 75
Cameron Zurhaar – 70
YOUNG GUNS SNARE GWS AWARD
Nick Haynes and Lachie Whitfield have tied for the best and fairest – the first joint-winners’ in the Giants’ short history.
For Haynes it caps off a bumper year, after he was named All-Australian for the first time, while Whitfield has made GWS history of his own as the first player to win the Sheedy medal twice.
Following the bombshell revelation that star forward Jeremy Cameron would be leaving the club, the Giants will look to defensive ace Haynes and midfield pocket dynamo Whitfield to help them pick up the pieces from a poor 2020 and rebound next year.
The pair tied on 98 votes, with young gun Harry Perryman finishing just two votes behind.
Coach Leon Cameron paid tribute to the winners in a year of overall disappointment for the Giants, who crashed out of the top-eight 12 months after making the grand final.
“I’d like to congratulation Nick and Lachie on their outstanding 2020 seasons,” Cameron said.
“Nick has been a stalwart of our backline for years now and has always been incredibly highly valued internally with two top-five finishes before this year.
“He’s once again taken his game to another level this year and thoroughly deserves the accolades that have come his way.
“Lachie becomes the first player in our history to win two Sheedy Medals after another ultra-consistent season.
“Taking on an official leadership role ahead of this season shows his development off the field and on the field, we saw Lachie continue to show his class and workrate across the entire season.”
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Rookie revelation joins Richmond greats
Rookie revelation Jayden Short has joined a rich list of Richmond greats by securing the Jack Dyer Medal in a premiership season.
The attacking defender edged Dustin Martin in a tight vote count just three days after he finished runner-up to Martin for the Norm Smith Medal.
The Tigers counted the votes in their KDV Sport hub on Tuesday and celebrated Short’s rise from pipsqueak player to dual premiership playmaker.
Tigers boss Brendon Gale will fly home to Melbourne with the club’s 13th VFL-AFL premiership cup on Wednesday.
Short, 24, wore a black armband in every game this year after losing his father Greg on New Year’s Eve.
The plumber and life member of Mill Park Football Club battled illness but had a profound impact on Short’s football journey.
They would practice left and right foot kicks in the family’s front yard every night.
“You will forever be the reason I wake up motivated and I will continue to try and make you proud,” Short said at the time.
Now Short has joined the likes of Kevin Bartlett, Royce Hart, Geoff Raines, Dion Prestia and Martin by securing a Jack Dyer Medal after a premiership.
Short, who inked a contract until 2022 earlier this year, played 16 games in 2017 before his form tailed off and he missed selection for the drought-breaking flag.
But the 178cm defender responded by locking away a place in the Round 1 team the next season and he has gone on to win back-to-back premierships.
Short has come a long way since he was selected in the rookie draft, along with Kane Lambert, Jason Castagna and Ivan Soldo.
Collingwood and Hawthorn also considered the Northern Knights prospect, but most clubs were put off by his stature.
“He was physically immature,” Tigers recruiter Francis Jackson said last week.
“(But) for someone of his physique to kick the footy like he did was a real positive, and in regards to his physical immaturity, he was early in his developmental stage.
“It’s just his timing and his ability to kick the footy with such depth.
“When given the opportunity we knew he could develop physically, which he’s done, and then combine with his skill level.”
Short shaved 45 seconds off his 3km time in his third pre-season and coach Damien Hardwick has labelled him one of the AFL’s most improved players.
Short’s 771m gained in the Grand Final helped drive Richmond out of danger when Geelong threatened to blow the Tigers away.
The energetic and popular Punt Rd prankster had never previously finished in the top eight of the best-and-fairest.
Short was ranked No. 1 at the Tigers for marks, rebound 50s and metres gained and No. 2 for disposals this year.
The penetrating kick generated more than 400m gained in 17 games this year.
Patrick Dangerfield was second in the AFL, carrying the ball that far in 12 games.
Remarkably, five of Richmond’s top eight missed either the 2017 or 2019 flags in a sign their production line of talent keeps on rolling.
Shai Bolton (fourth) wasn’t selected in 2017 while Kamdyn McIntosh (fifth) and Noah Balta (eighth) missed last year’s flag.
2020 Jack Dyer Medal top 20
1st – Jayden Short, 53 votes
2nd – Dustin Martin, 50
3rd – Nick Vlastuin, 49
4th – Shai Bolton, 44
5th – Kamdyn McIntosh, 43
6th – Liam Baker, 42
7th – Dylan Grimes, 41
8th – Noah Balta, 40
9th – Kane Lambert, 39
10th – Trent Cotchin, 37
11th – Jack Graham, 34
12th – Tom Lynch, 33
13th – Jason Castagna, 32
Equal 14th – Jack Riewoldt, 29
Equal 14th – Daniel Rioli, 29
Equal 16th – Jake Aarts, 28
Equal 16th – Toby Nankervis, 28
18th – Marlion Pickett, 26
19th – Shane Edwards, 22
20th – Bachar Houli, 19
GUN PIE CAPS OF STANDOUT YEAR
Collingwood midfielder Taylor Adams franked his credentials of becoming the next club captain by claiming his first Copeland Trophy after one of the most challenging seasons in the Magpies’ history.
One of three vice-captains to long-time skipper Scott Pendlebury, Adams played every match in 2020 and polled votes in all but three games in a stellar season.
Adams, 27, polled 100 votes to win by 27 votes, ahead of runner-up Pendlebury (71), winning his first best and fairest in the same year that he won his first All-Australian guernsey.
He averaged more than 22 disposals this year, despite the reduction in game time, and also won the Gavin Brown pressure award off the back of his 5.5 tackles per game.
Adams has long been considered the captaincy heir apparent to Pendlebury, who this year broke not only the club’s games record but also the Magpies’ captaincy games record.
Pendlebury, who missed four games due to injury, continued his extraordinary record in the Copeland Trophy with his second placing.
It was the 12th time in his 15 seasons at the club that the 32-year-old has finished in the top three in the club’s best and fairest.
Collingwood’s defence was acknowledged, with defenders Jack Crisp (63), Darcy Moore (62) and Brayden Maynard (59) rounding out the top five.Josh Daicos’ breakout season was recognised by his coaches as he finished in sixth position (50 votes), while last year’s Copeland Trophy winner Brodie Grundy and Jamie Elliott (47) finished equal seventh.
Out-of-contract Magpie Brody Mihocek was voted as the Bob Rose player of the finals, largely for his match-winning efforts in the elimination final win over West Coast in Perth.
He also back-to-back Gordon Coventry Awards as the club’s leading goal kicker, booting 25 goals.
Jeremy Howe suffered a season-ending injury in Round 4, but his off-field impact was acknowledged when he won the Darren Millane Perpetual Memorial Trophy for best clubman.
Second-year Magpie Isaac Quaynor won the Harry Collier Best Young Player award, locking in a role as a running half back.
SAINTS' RECRUITS PROVIDE B&F STEELE
Jack Steele was named St Kilda’s run-away best-and-fairest last night as the club’s recruiting raid was vindicated when four of its five mature-aged recruits secured top-10 finishes.
Recently re-signed star and future captain Steele finished a huge 81 votes clear of second-placed Dan Butler after podium finishes in the previous two seasons.
By Round 1 next year he could also be the St Kilda captain with beloved Jarryn Geary to play on next year but open to the possibility of a captaincy hand-over.
After a season where St Kilda jumped from 14th place to a semi-final finish Dougal Howard finished third on 122 votes behind Steele (207 votes) and Butler (126 votes).
Zak Jones (sixth), and Paddy Ryder (eighth) also justified their recruitment by the club’s list manager James Gallagher.
But the club’s high-priced wingman Brad Hill was a notable omission from the top 10 and will need to find ways to play a more significant role in 2021.
Rowan Marshall finished fourth, with half backs Nick Coffield and Hunter Clark finishing fifth and ninth respectively in a strong sign of the club’s growth under new coach Brett Ratten.
St Kilda on Sunday delisted Doulton Langlands, Ryan Abbott, Jack Bell, Jack Mayo and Logan Austin, who join the retired Nathan Brown in exiting the club.
Tim Membrey won the club’s Robert Harvey best clubman award for his team-first approach, with his season finishing on the bench after an ankle injury against Richmond.
He is one of the few players who might need surgery on his ankle ligaments, with the club to assess his progress in coming weeks.
Josh Battle missed most of the second quarter as he battled foot soreness that saw him miss the elimination final but he will not need surgery and should recover with a period of rest.
The club has not put a contract offer to key defender Jake Carlisle but has had discussions with his management and is keen for him to stay.
With Carlisle 29 he is sure to want a multi-year deal and security so rivals wanting marking defenders could still consider luring him elsewhere.
It is not known if the club would offer him longer than a one-year deal.
St Kilda chief executive Matt Finnis said on Friday night the club not only wanted an inside midfielder but also a key position forward to help Max King’s progress.
The Saints are one of many clubs attempting to lure GWS midfielder Jy Caldwell, but he has a significant offer in front of him from the Giants and might still remain.
COLLINS CLAIMS SUNS' TOP HONOUR
Thrown on the scrap heap by Fremantle just three years ago, another chapter was written in the rise of Gold Coast defender Sam Collins as he claimed the Suns’ best-and-fairest award on Friday night.
Collins polled 339 votes to finish just four votes clear of midfielder Touk Miller and 12 votes clear of ruckman Jarrod Witts, who finished third.
NAB AFL Rising Star runner-up Noah Anderson placed sixth in his debut season with 273 votes and also won the Suns’ best emerging player award.
Collins played all 17 games for the Suns this season and ranked elite for intercepts (7.1 a game) and intercept marks (2.7 a game), as well as above average for spoils (5.5 a game).
The 26-year-old’s unusual AFL journey saw him drafted by Fremantle as a mature-aged player in the 2015 national draft only to be delisted by the Dockers after two seasons and 14 AFL games.
Collins spent the 2018 season playing for Werribee in the VFL before being picked up by Gold Coast as a pre-draft selection at the end of an impressive year.
A hip injury meant Collins missed 13 games last year, but they have been the only matches the 194cm defender has missed since debuting for the Suns in Round 1, 2019.
PETRACCA’S BREAKOUT YEAR CROWNED WITH B&F
Melbourne dynamo Christian Petracca has capped a stunning breakthrough season with his first club best and fairest award.
The goal kicking midfielder won the Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott Trophy 385 votes ahead of runner-up Steven May (362) and hard nut midfielder Jack Viney (311) in third.
New recruit Ed Langdon (296) placed fourth after a strong season on the wing ahead of two-time winners Clayton Oliver (291) and captain Max Gawn (234).
Petracca, 24, put in an excellent pre-season under new fitness boss Darren Burgess and then capitalised on the field, becoming one of the league’s most dangerous and skilful midfield playmakers.
He played all 17 games and averaged 24 disposals, four clearances and three tackles a match.
The No. 2 draft pick will be strongly considered for All-Australian selection alongside Gawn who is gunning for his fourth All-Australian jacket when the team is announced on Thursday night.
Gawn said the club did not meet its expectations in 2020 after finishing ninth with nine wins and eight losses.
It is the second year in a row the club has missed the eight.
“This year’s a fail,” Gawn said.
“You can get positives from within a fail, but this year goes down as a fail – we’ve come ninth.
“We’re not playing in the top eight where we want to be – we want to be higher than the eight.”
Gawn said the Demons blew their season in the losses to Fremantle and Sydney Swans in Cairns.
“The amazing amounts of travel, and a short turn around, and the hot day – a windy day – that led into that Sydney game, but you’ve got to be able to switch on and we couldn’t,” he said.
“We’ll be dealt with situations like that again where we don’t get an amazing lead up and we’ve got to be better than that.
“Both of them are disappointing.
“I left Cairns thinking we had blown the season.”
May endured a tough first season at Melbourne but he bounced back strongly this year and was considered one of the premier key defenders in the league.
His performances helped justify the club’s decision to part with pick No. 6 for the former Gold Coast Sun two years ago.
But fellow backman Jake Lever finished outside of the top-10 of the Demons’ best and fairest in his third year at Melbourne.
May was recognised by his peers when he was awarded the James McDonald Trophy as the ‘best team man’ and the coaches award, helping round out an excellent year on the last line of defence.
Viney, who was dumped as co-captain, received the leadership award, while first-year big man Luke Jackson was deemed the best young player.
Playmaker Christian Salem finished seventh in the best and fairest, ahead of Angus Brayshaw, Michael Hibberd and Sam Weideman.
RIDLEY MAKES HISTORY WITH CRICHTON MEDAL WIN
Essendon defender Jordan Ridley has been crowned the club’s most inexperienced Crichton Medallist since the great John Coleman booted 100 goals on debut in 1949.
Ridley played his 26th AFL game on Saturday, just ahead of Coleman (21 games in 1949), Jack Garden (22 games in 1920) and Albert Thurgood (22 games), who won the inaugural medal back in 1901.
Ridley’s remarkable rise has been the shining light in another gloomy season for the Bombers.
The intercept-marking defender who bounces out of the backline is poised to sign a four-year contract.
That signature shapes as a crucial one given the premature retirement of halfback Conor McKenna and the cloud hanging over fellow speedster Adam Saad’s future.
Saad, 26, is out of contract and unconvinced about the path forward at Tullamarine.
Carlton is likely to come hard wanting Saad as a Kade Simpson replacement, particularly if Zac Williams (GWS) chooses North Melbourne instead of the Blues.
Saad finished third in the Crichton Medal, which the Bombers hosted in their Twin Waters hub on the Sunshine Coast on Sunday night.
Saad has finished in the top four of the Bombers’ count every season.
High-priced recruit Dylan Shiel only just managed to scrape into the top 10 despite his blazing start to the season.
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti won the club’s goalkicking award with 19 majors, the lowest winning tally in 99 years, albeit in a reduced season and with shorter quarters.
The Bombers also delisted five players before the count with Shaun McKernan, Mitch Hibberd, Kobe Mutch, Josh Begley and Noah Gown told they would not be offered contracts.
They have also shed 35 per cent of their workforce due to COVID-19 cuts.
Outgoing chairman Lindsay Tanner said the club had “achieved great things” during his five years at the helm.
“We have implemented all of the necessary governance reforms and modernised our constitution,” Tanner said.
But 21-year-old Ridley was the story of the night as he edged dual winner Zach Merrett in a shock result.
Ridley played every game and was ranked No. 3 in the AFL for intercept marks (2.8) and No. 4 for contested intercept marks (1.1).
“This is a season in which Jordan announced himself as a key part of the club’s future,” departing coach John Worsfold said.
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“Jordan is an unassuming, determined and driven young man who is a wonderful teammate and has commanded the respect of the playing group, and especially fellow defenders.
“He has worked closely alongside Michael Hurley and Adam Saad to further understand the game and hone his craft.”
Worsfold said the ages the top-six – Ridley, 21, Merrett, 24, Saad, 26, Kyle Langford, 23, Andrew McGrath, 22, and Darcy Parish, 23 – pointed to a bright future.
McGrath won the most courageous award while ruckman Sam Draper was named the rising star.
CHAMPION DATA PREDICTS WHO WILL WIN YOUR CLUB’S BEST AND FAIREST
Champion Data crunched the numbers to pick who should win each club’s best and fairest. How did its predictions compare to the real-world result?
ADELAIDE
WINNER: Reilly O’Brien
In a crazy old year for the Crows, could ruckman Reilly O’Brien win his first best-and-fairest? The 25-year-old played every game in an exceptionally consistent season?
Rory Laird has gone into the midfield with telling effect and while Matt Crouch’s numbers are good — he averages a club-high 111 ranking points per match — he was dropped for poor form early in the season.
Brodie Smith and Ben Keays have only missed one game combined and should both push for top-five best-and-fairest spots.
BRISBANE LIONS
Lachie Neale will surely win from defender Harris Andrews, who went down with a hamstring injury halfway through his 14th game of the season.
Neale has done it all — racked up a mountain of disposals, kicked goals (11) and started the season with six games each above 130 ranking points.
Jarrod Lyons should push for a podium finish given his stellar year, while Hugh McCluggage hasn’t finished his work in front of goal and Charlie Cameron has been well down on his normal output. Dayne Zorko’s quieter games rule him out of a top-three finish.
CARLTON
Jacob Weitering is all the rage and should push hard for his first John Nicholls Medal but don’t sleep on Liam Jones.
His intercept numbers are better than Weitering and his one-on-one contests are ranked higher as well.
Patrick Cripps has been good but not sublime in a year in which Ed Curnow, Will Setterfield and Michael Gibbons have all put in stellar service.
Jack Martin will poll well early and does all the stuff the coaches love with his hard-nosed attitude, but suffered calf injuries in two of his 14 games.
Weitering from Cripps?
COLLINGWOOD
Taylor Adams and Brayden Maynard should fight it out for the Copeland Trophy after brilliant seasons. Jack Crisp has been uber-consistent and Darcy Moore will push hard for a podium finish, too.
What a thrill for Pies fans to see perennially injured Moore miss only one game this year.
Josh Daicos will poll well early and looks an emerging star, but Jeremy Howe’s stunning early form was curtailed by injury.
As usual skipper Scott Pendlebury has been in dazzling form, but will play only 13 home-and-away games.
ESSENDON
WINNER: Jordan Ridley
What Champion Data said: Midfielder Andy McGrath and intercept defender Jordan Ridley are the big improvers who will push for podium spots in the Crichton Medal count.
But Zach Merrett quietly has put in an unheralded season, ranking fourth across the competition for disposals, second for metres gained and No. 1 for uncontested possessions.
Adam Saad could be leading at the halfway mark of the season, with Dylan Shiel in the mix as well.
McGrath is a beloved player on the rise but will only poll in 13 games given an ankle injury early in Round 15.
That means Merrett should get home.
FREMANTLE
Luke Ryan deserves to win his first Doig Medal from a packed field that includes Nathan Fyfe and midfielders Andy Brayshaw and Adam Cerra who have come of age to push for top-five places.
Of all defenders in the league, Ryan has won the most intercept possessions this year, a spectacular number given he has been forced to play on the No. 1 forward most weeks because of injuries to fellow defenders.
David Mundy has rolled along in the twilight of his career with another massive year and Matt Taberner’s first full season as a genuine marking forward will be rewarded.
Fyfe has effectively played as a mid-forward in a 68 per cent-32 per cent breakdown compared to 93-7 last year. It has been the most selfless season of his career which has allowed the club’s young mids to develop.
GEELONG
Tom Hawkins deserves to win only his second Carji Greeves Medal. His first came in 2012 when he was awarded All-Australian status as well as winning the best-and-fairest for a 62-goal output.
Wingmen Sam Menegola and Mitch Duncan will push him, while Patrick Dangerfield has not been as consistently lethal but has still been incredible in all the moments it has mattered save the loss to Richmond.
Midfielder Cam Guthrie has enjoyed the most productive season of his career, averaging a team-high 22 disposals per match while Mark Blicavs will be rewarded for a year as Chris Scott’s Mr Fixit.
GOLD COAST
WINNER: Sam Collins
The kids are coming but the leaders might hold them off for one more season.
Full-back Sam Collins is the third-best rated defender in the competition, Touk Miller has again done all the tough grunt work and Hugh Greenwood has stepped into Matt Rowell’s shoes with energy and a flint-hard edge.
Then Lachie Weller and Jack Bowes have had their best seasons, with Charlie Ballard not far behind.
One sneaky podium chance? Jack Lukosius has had a cracking year, above average for intercept marks and possessions, and he averages the most metres gained of any general defender, more than Richmond’s Jayden Short and Adelaide’s Brodie Smith.
Could Collins hold off Miller and Greenwood?
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
Throw a blanket over the few players who have shown some level of consistency at GWS.
Lachie Whitfield has played every game with his typical panache and averaged 22 disposals per match, while only Nick Haynes and Nick Vlastuin have rated elite for marks, intercept marks and intercept possessions of all general defenders.
They should fight out the trophy.
Josh Kelly has averaged 22 disposals but has lacked those game-altering moments.
Harry Perryman should figure in the top five after his white-hot start.
The bloke with the fourth-highest rankings point average? Stephen Coniglio. Go figure.
HAWTHORN
WINNER: Jack Gunston
What Champion Data said: Someone has to win the best-and-fairest in a tough old season to allocate votes.
James Sicily’s best was exceptional but he played only 11 games, while Chad Wingard hasn’t regularly troubled the Coaches’ Association votegetters’ list but has played 16 games with some level of consistency, if no real impact.
Jack Gunston has been solid with a team-high 27 goals, while Tom Mitchell’s return has seen him play every game and average 24 touches, best at the Hawks.
They don’t have a player in the top 20 in the coaches’ association leaderboard.
Mitchell must be a good chance given his rivals for the award have fallen away with injury.
MELBOURNE
WINNER: Christian Petracca
What Champion Data said: Christian Petracca will surely trump last year’s fifth placing in the “Bluey” Truscott Trophy with a victory this season.
The pack behind him shows the club’s improvement despite a topsy-turvy year.
Steven May, Clayton Oliver and Max Gawn have backed up all year. Ruckman Gawn has averaged 141 ranking points but missed three games with a knee injury.
Ed Langdon’s bad moments and clangers stand out, but he’s had a cracking year as a hard-running wing who has kicked at 66 per cent efficiency, which is around the AFL average.
Jack Viney has also cracked in with a tough and consistent year. He’s in the running for the top five.
NORTH MELBOURNE
Another outstanding season from Todd Goldstein who should add a second Syd Barker Medal to his 2015 award. Only a handful of players will push for a podium finish in an utterly miserable year.
Jed Anderson and Jy Simpkin are very different players but have both added their strengths to the midfield while Trent Dumont has averaged 102 ranking points, second only behind Goldstein.
Luke McDonald should surge home from Round 6 onwards given his strong service both tagging and playing as a general ball-winning defender.
Have loved the versatility and reliability of swingman Josh Walker.
PORT ADELAIDE
Travis Boak looks the winner in what would be back-to-back John Cahill medals.
Ollie Wines will get going in the count from Round 4 to put himself in the picture for a top-two spot.
Charlie Dixon has been goalless in only two of his 15 games so could, and probably should, pip Wines into second spot.
Darcy Byrne-Jones has been much-feted for his rebound work off half back, while Zac Butters’ lightning hands in close have set up so many attacking thrusts.
Tom Rockliff was dropped as recently as July but averages 104 ranking points and has notched 100 ranking points in seven of his past eight contests.
RICHMOND
Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin, Jack Riewoldt and Alex Rance have won five of the past six Jack Dyer medals.
Can a lesser-light triumph this year in a season in which Martin has been good, but not lights-out amazing?
Nick Vlastuin’s year has been phenomenal — rated elite for marks, intercept marks and intercept possessions alongside only Nick Haynes.
Shai Bolton’s best has been brilliant, while Noah Balta will poll some votes late for his big roles on key forwards.
Then Liam Baker, Dylan Grimes and Jayden Short have been excellent in their roles.
An intriguing count for the Tigers, but Vlastuin would be a much-celebrated winner.
ST KILDA
WINNER: Jack Steele
What Champion Data said: Jack Steele should win his first Trevor Barker Award after finishing third last year.
Dan Butler could be an All-Australian small forward, but he’s kicked only five goals in his past six games leading into the clash against the Giants.
Rowan Marshall has shown he can thrive in a ruck-forward role playing a 60-40 ruck-forward split while Cal Wilkie is one of the first picked as a key defender who should poll well after he finished seventh last year.
Zak Jones and Jack Billings have also put up their hand for top-five placings, while Nick Coffield and Hunter Clark should poll well as they continue to reward patient St Kilda fans.
SYDNEY
Jake Lloyd has barely put a foot wrong this year with an amazing set of statistics.
He is the best ball-winning general defender in the AFL, peeling off 100-ranking point games in every week except Round 1.
Luke Parker has played mostly midfield and held up his end in a year of transition, while Josh Kennedy and Dane Rampe have shown their star power but just missed too many games with injury.
Cal Mills has to be a podium contender after 14 games played mostly as a quality general defender, while a sleeper could be James Rowbottom given some classy moments in 15 matches as a rapidly improving midfielder.
Lloyd from Parker and Mills?
Tom Papley started the season in sensational fashion, but his form tapered.
WEST COAST
For all his brilliance Nic Naitanui has never finished top-three in the club’s best and fairest, including the 2012 season in which he was All-Australian or 2015 when he was in the All-Australian squad of 40 but finished only eighth in the Eagles’ award.
Surely this year is his best chance after he missed only one game and averaged elite hit-outs-to-advantage, clearance and score-launch numbers.
If you normalise his numbers for game length he is notching career-highs for disposals, contested possessions and clearances.
In a year in which Elliot Yeo has had osteitis pubis and last year’s winner Luke Shuey has played only 12 games, this has to be his chance.
Not only is Naitanui averaging a team-high 110 ranking points per match, second-ranked Andrew Gaff has been solid off a wing but not great.
Tim Kelly has come home hard after a quiet-ish start, while Brad Shepperd is one of the AFL’s most unheralded defenders but should push for a podium finish.
Two sleepers — Liam Ryan has been spectacular and played every game, while Tom Barrass hasn’t put a foot wrong as an intercept marker who plays on the best key forward.
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WESTERN BULLDOGS
Can Marcus Bontempelli win his fourth Charles Sutton Medal at only 24?
Listen to his coach in post-match press conferences as he lauds his ability to seize the big moments and you realise why.
He will be pushed by All-Australian contender Caleb Daniel and rejuvenated forward Mitch Wallis, who has averaged exactly two goals a game in his 16 matches so far.
Jack Macrae has led the team in ranking point averages — 124 a match on average — but Bontempelli isn’t far behind on 116.
Think of the matchwinning back-with-the-flight marks and even the long goal to win the game against West Coast for Bontempelli.
Four best-and-fairests by this tender age would be a worthy reward in a year in which he has averaged 20.9 touches, 5.1 clearances, half a goal and one score assist a game.