With the home-and-away season done and dusted, it’s finals time and awards season.
Clubs have their best and fairest counts at different stages of their off-season, with some coming up very quickly.
With some excellent individual performances throughout the seasons from every club, it’s time to look at who will be successful at their respective club with this big best and fairest preview.
Adelaide Crows
Malcolm Blight Medal – Rory Laird
In a dark season for the Crows, there have been a few shining lights at the club. Rory Laird should win his first Malcolm Blight Medal having put together a stunning ball-winning season out of defence.
A lock for the All-Australian team again, Laird has posted career-high numbers in disposals, rebounds, clearances, contested possessions and goal assists.
Bryce Gibbs has been a fantastic addition to the midfield, providing a mix of grunt and class, while Matt Crouch has gone about his work quietly, although he hasn’t quite been as good as his impressive 2017 season.
Daniel Talia is usually positioned well in the club’s best and fairest given his importance to the club, while Paul Seedsman has thrived playing regular, senior football in 2018 producing a career-best season, which has resulted in him re-signing with the club for a further three seasons.
Tom Doedee and Hugh Greenwood could be left-field names that collect some votes for the Crows.
Predicted top five
1. Laird, 2. Gibbs, 3. Crouch, 4. Talia, 5. Seedsman
Brisbane Lions
Merrett-Murray Medal – Dayne Beams
It’s a clear two-horse race for Brisbane’s best and fairest in 2018, with Dayne Zorko’s streak coming to an end.
It may well be former skipper Dayne Beams who takes out the medal, after an impressive season following a difficult start from a personal standpoint.
Averaging 29 disposals, five marks, five clearances and nearly a goal a game, Beams has been the key to Brisbane’s competitiveness this season.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Harris Andrews is the only other player who will challenge for the award following a breakout season. He missed four games due to the horrific incident against GWS, however, Andrews has been a pillar in Brisbane’s defence.
Zorko hasn’t had his best season, yet has still managed to average 21 disposals, seven tackles, five clearances, five inside 50s and over a goal a game, while Stef Martin and Alex Witherden have been some of Brisbane’s better contributors.
Predicted top five
1. Beams, 2. Andrews, 3. Zorko, 4. Martin, 5. Witherden
Carlton Blues
John Nicholls Medal – Patrick Cripps
It really can’t be anyone else for the Blues, with Patrick Cripps expected to win his second best and fairest award in his young career.
He has been the clear beacon of light for Carlton, posting ridiculous numbers considering he gets targeted on a weekly basis.
He’ll win a number of these awards throughout his career, however Charlie Curnow, who will definitely finish in the top five, will be his main rival in years to come.
The older Curnow brother continues to be an underrated contributor at senior level, posting some big numbers while playing a team role when required.
Kade Simpson will push for a top-three finish this season after somehow statistically producing one of the best seasons of his career at 34 years of age, while Dale Thomas deserves recognition for backing himself in and putting together a really solid year across half-back.
The 31-year-old had his best year at the Blues and looks set to continue playing in the future.
Predicted top five
1. Cripps, 2. Curnow, 3. Simpson, 4. Curnow, 5. Thomas
Collingwood Magpies
Copeland Trophy – Brodie Grundy
Brodie Grundy will be the first ruckman to win a Copeland Trophy since Wes Fellowes in 1986 should he deservedly take the award home this season.
Most expected Grundy to have a breakout year but, in averaging 21 disposals, 39 hitouts, five tackles and five clearances a game, he has put himself in a position to be the best polling ruckman at the Brownlow in the last decade.
(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
As Collingwood’s most important player, Grundy’s season will likely put him ahead of usual high-finishers Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom in the best and fairest.
A top-five finish in a club’s best and fairest is a fantastic achievement, and Collingwood’s success means a number of players will be fighting for recognition in these positions.
Jordan de Goey has missed a few games at different stages, however, he has starred in attack averaging 17 disposals and two goals a game.
Josh Thomas and Will Hoskin-Elliott are fully deserving of a top-five finish, however, Tom Phillips has enjoyed a strong breakout season as a true wingman.
Predicted top five
1. Grundy, 2. Pendlebury, 3. Sidebottom, 4. De Goey, 5. Phillips
Essendon Bombers
Crichton Medal – Devon Smith
There’ll be cases made for who is the best recruit in 2018, and Devon Smith can certainly lay claims to the title.
Getting an opportunity to play as a full-time midfielder, Smith broke the record for most tackles in a season, highlighting his appetite for the contest.
It was the most consistent season of his career and moved him ahead of Dyson Heppell in the race for the Crichton Medal.
Zach Merrett started the season off slowly and, despite producing some quality performances in the second half of the year, it won’t be enough to win his second medal.
(Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
Cale Hooker had an interesting season, spending time at both ends of the ground. His impact in attack was inconsistent, but returning to his natural defensive position helped the team immensely.
Coaches always love ‘Mr Fix-It’ types, and Hooker will likely be rewarded with a top-five finish. Tom Bellchambers enjoyed the best season of his career and could sneak into fifth position.
Predicted top five
1. Smith, 2. Heppell, 3. Merrett, 4. Hooker, 5. Bellchambers
Fremantle Dockers
Doig Medal – Lachie Neale
Neale was one of just two players to play every game this season for the Dockers, and his consistency throughout the season is deserving of his second Doig Medal.
Averaging 30 disposals and seven clearances a game, Neale was the standout performer in constantly difficult midfield battles.
Ed Langdon’s breakout year, which saw him take the main wing position due to the Hill brothers’ absences in 2018, will likely boost him into a top-three position in the best and fairest. His performances at Perth Stadium were particularly impressive.
Fyfe may have won the Brownlow this season in a perfect world, and despite missing seven games, he will challenge for the top prize at Fremantle.
David Mundy’s experience in attack certainly helped the club, and the 33-year old finished in the top 15 in the league for score involvements.
While Michael Walters was inconsistent, he spent more time in the midfield and was a dangerous presence overall.
Luke Ryan and Alex Pearce are two that may push for position in the top five of the Doig Medal, although Fremantle’s defence was under siege consistently which saw some high scores conceded.
Predicted top five
1. Neale, 2. Langdon, 3. Fyfe, 4. Mundy, 5. Walters
Chris
Guest
I'd love to see Grundy take out the Brownlow Medal. It was only two or three years ago that clowns purporting to be pundits wrote things like: Don't waste a high draft pick on a ruckman or big man. How idiotic? Ruckmen make or break teams. They are an integral part of a Finals winning or Premiership winning team and always have been. Little and medium sized men need the ball handed out to them. They can't rove to opposition ruckmen for the duration of their football lives! Successful teams on the MCG have always needed winning centrelines and ruck-roving combinations. The goal to goal line kicks in next. The game hasn't changed despite all the euphemisms and Amercian basketball/gridiron jargon adopted, twisted and tampered with and unfortunately added to our great game. Bring back the Dyer, Richards, Davis vocabulary folks...
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I'd say Fyfe is a certainty to be Top 5 in the Brownlow. Club voting is always different because it factors in games played.
dontknowmuchaboutfootball
Guest
You're probably right about Fyfe getting a top 5 place. But don't forget, too, that in in 2015 (Brownlow year), he came in fourth after Sandi, Mundy and Still.
Dem Panopoulos
Expert
Agreed on Wilson, I personally think he will be in that bracket with Ryan/Pearce/Walters to push for top five. As for the voting system, Fyfe was that good in his games I’d be shocked to not hear his name in the top five!
dontknowmuchaboutfootball
Guest
I’ll be surprised if Fyfe makes it as high as top 3, and I don’t think Walters will make top 5. The way the Doig voting works, every player in each round is given a score between 0 and 5. So players who miss a bunch of games are at a distinct disadvantage. The same is true for players who have a lot of off games, which is why I don’t think Langdon will make top 5, his numerous excellent games notwithstanding. Also surprised that Wilson didnt rate a mention. For my money he is Neale’s most likely competitor for the award. Neale and Wilson to fight it out for top spot. Hamling, Mundy and Ryan for the remaining three, though Fyfe might sneak in to fourth or fifth spot. Then again, I’m terrible at predicting anything.