While Nat Fyfe has become the outright leader, an underrated Bulldog has surged into 2018 Shadforth Financial Group AFLCA Champion Player of the Year award contention.
Fyfe, who was equal first with Hawthorn’s Tom Mitchell after Round 7, recorded 10 votes from the coaches to move eight votes ahead of second place.
The Fremantle skipper collected 36 disposals, 25 of which were contested, 13 clearances and kicked a goal in the Dockers’ triumph over the Saints.
Fyfe’s main challenger might prove to be an underrated Western Bulldogs’ midfielder, with Jack Macrae surging from sixth place to equal-second following his efforts in Round 8.
Macrae managed an outrageous 47 touches and 10 clearances, the second week in a row he’s recorded 40 or more disposals, to join Max Gawn on 40 coaches’ votes.
Five players received maximum votes from the coaches in Round 8 including Fyfe, Macrae, Sydney’s Ben Ronke (seven goals and 10 tackles), West Coast’s Jack Darling (four goals and five contested marks) and Port Adelaide’s Robbie Gray (six goals).
AFL Coaches’ Association votes for Round 8:
hawthorn v sydney
10 Ronke (Syd), 7 Parker (Syd), 6 Gunston (Haw), 3 Lloyd (Syd), 2 Cunningham (Syd), 1 Burgoyne (Haw), 1 Howe (Haw)
gws giants v west coast
10 Darling (WCE), 6 Sheppard (WCE), 6 Whitfield (GWS), 3 Barrass (WCE), 3 Gaff (WCE), 1 Cripps (WCE), 1 Ward (GWS)
carlton v essendon
9 Cripps (Carl), 9 E. Curnow (Carl), 6 Kreuzer (Carl), 2 Heppell (Ess), 2 Smith (Ess), 1 C. Curnow (Carl), 1 Thomas (Carl)
gold coast v melbourne
9 T. McDonald (Melb), 6 Gawn (Melb), 6 Harmes (Melb), 6 Oliver (Melb), 2 Salem (Melb), 1 Lewis (Melb)
port adelaide v adelaide
10 R Gray (PA), 6 Ryder (PA), 5 Rockliff (PA), 4 Jonas (PA), 2 Atkins (Adel), 2 Laird (Adel), 1 Powell-Pepper (PA)
western bulldogs v brisbane lions
10 Macrae (WB), 7 Zorko (BL), 4 Bontempelli (WB), 4 Suckling (WB), 3 Daniel (WB), 2 Cameron (BL)
fremantle v st kilda
10 Fyfe (Frem), 6 Sandilands (Frem), 4 Langdon (Frem), 4 Webster (StK), 3 Ryan (Frem), 2 Blakely (Frem), 1 Neale (Frem)
north melbourne v richmond
9 Cotchin (Rich), 9 Cunnington (NM), 4 Caddy (Rich), 3 Jacobs (NM), 3 Vlastuin (Rich), 2 Lambert (Rich)
collingwood v geelong
9 Menegola (Geel), 9 Stewart (Geel), 4 Treloar (Coll), 3 Crisp (Coll), 2 Ratugolea (Geel), 2 Howe (Coll), 1 Kelly (Geel)
LEADERBOARD
48 — NAT FYFE (FREM
40 — MAX GAWN (MELB)
40 — JACK MACRAE (WB)
38 — TOM MITCHELL (HAW)
37 — TRENT COTCHIN (RICH)
37 — PATRICK CRIPPS (CARL)
32 — RORY LAIRD (ADEL)
32 — JACK DARLING (WC)
31 — DUSTIN MARTIN (RICH)
31 — STEELE SIDEBOTTOM (COLL)