Despite his side going down by 26 points in the season opener, Carlton’s Patrick Cripps has been rewarded with maximum votes in the 2018 Shadforth Financial Group AFLCA Champion Player of the Year award.
Cripps received 10 votes from the respective coaches for his 36 disposals — 25 of which were contested — nine clearances and four contested marks as the Blues fought valiantly against the reigning premiers last Thursday night.
The 23-year-old was unanimously named as best on ground ahead of last year’s Champion Player of the Year winner Dustin Martin, who polled seven coaches’ votes.
Cripps is joined at the top of the leaderboard after Round 1 by Lance Franklin (eight goals), Tom Mitchell (54 disposals), and Jack Steven (34 touches and two goals), who all polled maximum votes for their efforts.
AFL Coaches’ Association votes for Round 1:
richmond v carlton
10 Cripps (Carl), 7 Martin (Rich), 6 Simpson (Carl), 3 Riewoldt (Rich), 2 Butler (Rich), 2 Curnow (Carl)
essendon v adelaide
6 Heppell (Ess), 6 Laird (Adel), 5 Goddard (Ess), 5 Hurley (Ess), 4 Zaharakis (Ess), 2 Gibbs (Adel), 2 Stewart (Ess)
st kilda v brisbane
10 Steven (StK), 7 Acres (StK), 6 Martin (BL), 4 Ross (StK), 2 Cameron (BL), 1 Billings (StK)
port adelaide v fremantle
8 Byrne-Jones (PA), 8 Ebert (PA), 5 Westhoff (PA), 4 Wingard (PA), 3 Bonner (PA), 1 Boak (PA), 1 Wines (PA)
gold coast v north melbourne
7 Harbrow (GCS), 7 Young (GCS), 6 Witts (GCS), 4 Bowes (GCS), 4 Swallow (GCS), 1 Miller (GCS), 1 Ziebell (NM)
hawthorn v collingwood
10 Mitchell (Haw), 4 Breust (Haw), 4 Gunston (Haw), 4 Sicily (Haw), 4 Sidebottom (Coll), 4 Stratton (Haw)
gws v western bulldogs
9 Cameron (GWS), 8 Whitfield (GWS), 6 Coniglio (GWS), 4 Taranto (GWS), 3 Greene (GWS)
melbourne v geelong
9 Gawn (Melb), 6 Ablett (Geel), 5 Menzel (Geel), 5 J. Selwood (Geel), 4 Petracca (Melb), 1 Oliver (Melb)
west coast v sydney
10 Franklin (Syd), 7 Parker (Syd), 5 Heeney (Syd), 4 LeCras (WCE), 2 Darling (WCE), 2 Hurn (WCE)
LEADERBOARD
10 — PATRICK CRIPPS (CARL)
10 — LANCE FRANKLIN (SYD)
10 — TOM MITCHELL (HAW)
10 — JACK STEVEN (STK)
9 — JEREMY CAMERON (GWS)
9 — MAX GAWN (MELB)
8 — DARCY BYRNE-JONES (PORT)
8 — BRAD EBERT (PORT)
8 — LACHIE WHITFIELD (GWS)
7 — BLAKE ACRES (STK)
7 — JARROD HARBROW (GC)
7 — DUSTIN MARTIN (RICH)
7 — LUKE PARKER (SYD)
7 — AARON YOUNG (GC)