Just days after declaring Nat Fyfe the best player in the AFL, Sydney midfield Dan Hannebery has closed the gap on the Fremantle star in the AFL Coaches’ Association Champion Player of the Year Award.
Hannebery gathered 42 possessions against Gold Coast on Saturday in a 10-vote display.
“I think Fyfe is a class above every player in the competition” – Dan Hannebery
Fyfe, who now leads the award by 19 votes from Hannebery, was awarded two votes for his game against Richmond on Friday night.
The pair have cleared out from the chasing pack, which is led by St Kilda’s David Armitage and GWS on-baller Dylan Shiel.
“I think Fyfe is a class above every player in the competition,” Hannebery said.
“The way he goes about it, he’s rightly regarded as the best player in the AFL.
“His ability to kick goals, play as an inside midfielder, go forward take marks puts him on his own. He’s distanced himself from the others and is more versatile than anybody else and able to operate at both ends of the ground.”
Richmond’s Dustin Martin picked up 10 votes for his game against the Dockers.
In other games, Adelaide ruckman Josh Jenkins was awarded nine votes from the coaches as he helped the Crows to an important win over his former side Carlton.
Shaun Higgins continues to prove himself a handy recruit for North Melbourne. His four-goal game against West Coast was enough for nine votes.
Harry Taylor, Ollie Wines, Callan Ward, Sam Mitchell and Travis Cloke were all awarded 10 votes apiece.
See all the votes from all the games below and head to the AFL Coaches’ Association website for all their latest.
AFL COACHES’ ASSOCIATION CHAMPION PLAYER OF THE YEAR LEADERBOARD
80 – NAT FYFE (FREMANTLE)
61 – DAN HANNEBERY (SYDNEY)
42 – DAVID ARMITAGE (ST KILDA)
42 – DYLAN SHIEL (GWS)
40 – SCOTT PENDLEBURY (COLLINGWOOD)
40 – MATT PRIDDIS (WEST COAST)
32 – SHANE EDWARDS (RICHMOND)
31 – JOSH KENNEDY (WEST COAST)
31 – SAM MITCHELL (HAWTHORN)
30 – DAYNE BEAMS (BRISBANE)
Fremantle v Richmond
10 – Dustin Martin (Rich)
5 – Shane Edwards (Rich)
4 – Trent Cotchin (Rich)
4 – Brandon Ellis (Rich)
4 – Aaron Sandilands (Frem)
2 – Nat Fyfe (Frem)
1 – Bachar Houli (Rich)
Carlton v Adelaide Crows
9 – Josh Jenkins (Adel)
9 – Marc Murphy (Carl)
4 – Rory Laird (Adel)
3 – Scott Thompson (Adel)
2 – Patrick Cripps (Carl)
2 – Kade Simpson (Carl)
1 – Zach Tuohy (Carl)
Gold Coast Suns v Sydney Swans
10 – Dan Hannebery (Syd)
7 – Jarrad McVeigh (Syd)
6 – Dane Rampe (Syd)
5 – Lewis Jetta (Syd)
1 – Tom Lynch (GCS)
1 – Tom Mitchell (Syd)
Essendon v Geelong Cats
10 – Harry Taylor (Geel)
6 – Corey Enright (Geel)
4 – James Kelly (Geel)
4 – Steven Motlop (Geel)
4 – Joel Selwood (Geel)
2 – Mark Blicavs (Geel)
Port Adelaide v Western Bulldogs
10 – Ollie Wines (PA)
7 – Chad Wingard (PA)
5 – Jack Macrae (WB)
3 – Justin Westhoff (PA)
2 – Angus Monfries (PA)
2 – Easton Wood (WB)
1 – Alipate Carlisle
GWS v Brisbane Lions
10 – Callan Ward (GWS)
5 – Dayne Beams (Bris)
5 – Shane Mumford (GWS)
3 – Stephen Coniglio (GWS)
3 – Adam Treloar (GWS)
2 – Allen Christensen (Bris)
2 – Lewis Taylor (Bris)
North Melbourne v West Coast
9 – Shaun Higgins (NM)
8 – Jack Ziebell (NM)
6 – Andrew Gaff (WCE)
3 – Matt Priddis (WCE)
2 – Sharrod Wellingham (WCE)
1 – Brent Harvey (NM)
1 – Drew Petrie (NM)
St Kilda v Hawthorn
10 – Sam Mitchell (Haw)
8 – Jack Steven (StK)
6 – Billy Hartung (Haw)
2 – Jarryn Geary (StK)
1 – Jack Gunston (Haw)
1 – Jarryd Roughead
Melbourne v Collingwood
10 – Travis Cloke (Coll)
7 – Adam Oxley (Coll)
7 – Bernie Vince (Melb)
4 – Nathan Jones (Melb)
1 – Jack Frost (Coll)
1 – Marley Williams (Coll)