With the home-and-away season done and dusted, it’s finals time and awards season.
Over the past two days, we have looked at those who will feature in best and fairest calculations at each club.
Today, in the final instalment, we list the likely recipients at the remaining six sides, including minor premiers Richmond.
John Cahill Medal – Justin Westhoff
Westhoff should win his first best and fairest in 2018, having performed the role of a true utility extremely well this season.
His season averages are arguably the most well-rounded we’ve seen in a long time, playing all 22 games and averaging 20 disposals, five marks, five tackles, three clearances, three inside 50s, two rebound 50s, eight hitouts and kicking 24 goals.
It will be a very well-deserved win for the 32-year-old, who has only improved with age. The race may be tight, however, with Ollie Wines and Tom Jonas breathing down Westhoff’s neck.
The latter, in particular, should definitely be in the All-Australian squad and potentially make the team. Overlooked by Victorian footy followers, Jonas’ versatility in defence matches that of Ben Stratton from Hawthorn.
Jared Polec may be on his way out the door, but he enjoyed a career-best season on the wing.
His work rate was particularly impressive this season, averaging 25 disposals and a career-high three rebound 50s. Robbie Gray probably finishes in the top five for Port Adelaide, averaging 21 disposals and kicking 36 goals.
It wasn’t his best season, however, he still had a big impact when the Power were in the top four hunt.
Predicted top five
1. Westhoff, 2. Wines, 3. Jonas, 4. Polec, 5. Gray
Jack Dyer Medal – Jack Riewoldt
The beauty of Richmond’s team is that individual performances have been so equal that it is difficult to identify who will win the award.
Out of the six or seven players that can make an argument to claim it, Coleman Medalist Jack Riewoldt makes the most sense.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
He has kicked the most goals in the league and played a selfless role for Hardwick, which is the perfect result. Shane Edwards has had a brilliant season with plenty of goal assists and score involvements while posting career-highs in disposals and inside 50s.
Dustin Martin must be up there again in Richmond’s count, despite having a number of ‘down’ games. No matter what the voting system is, the 27-year old always manages to collect plenty of votes.
Kane Lambert and Dylan Grimes could squeeze Josh Caddy and Toby Nankervis out of positions in the top five. Once again, all these names could justifiably win the Jack Dyer Medal, making the Richmond count the hardest to predict.
Predicted top five
1. Riewoldt, 2. Edwards, 3. Martin, 4. Grimes, 5. Lambert
Trevor Barker Award – Seb Ross
While many Saints fans have fallen a little out of love with Seb Ross, questioning his true impact in games, it’s likely he’ll walk away with his second best-and-fairest medal in a row.
He was ranked top 15 for inside 50s, metres gained and disposals, while also ranking top 10 for uncontested possessions and effective disposals.
It’s an impressive set of numbers, which are likely to be more appreciated when the Saints are more successful.
Many will argue Jade Gresham is the main contender for the title, following an impressive breakout season.
A top-20 finish in the Coleman Medal while finishing in the top 10 for goal assists as a half-forward is more than was expected of the 21-year-old, and his future is as exciting as anything coming out of the Saints.
Jimmy Webster was impressive for a lot of the season before injury threw him off in Round 13. The Saints didn’t have a lot of great performers, and this elite start to the season could see Webster push for top three.
Jack Steele’s role as a prolific tagger is a coach’s dream, and it’s a pity it didn’t commence earlier for the Saints.
(AAP Image/Tony McDonough)
As shown in the NEAFL, Steele knows how to get a lot of the ball and tackle ferociously, which is handy. Jack Steven averaged 27 disposals but never really stood out. It’s enough to collect votes, but he’ll be disappointed in his lack of influence this year.
Predicted top five
1. Ross, 2. Gresham, 3. Webster, 4. Steele, 5. Steven
Bob Skilton Medal – Jake Lloyd
Jake Lloyd should be streets ahead in the race for the Bob Skilton Medal, producing arguably the most consistent season of anyone in the AFL.
He dropped below 20 disposals just once this season, collecting 25 disposals or more on 17 occasions.
Lloyd’s ability to be solid defensively is an underrated aspect of his game, making him the perfect rebounder.
Luke Parker had an excellent season in the midfield, while Isaac Heeney cemented himself as the most well-rounded midfielder in the competition and deserves a top-three finish in the best and fairest.
Lance Franklin had a solid season overall, if not a slightly inconsistent one, and could well poll the best out of all Swans in the Brownlow.
This could be the season Josh Kennedy doesn’t finish as high as usual, as Callum Sinclair excelled in his first full season as a number one ruckman.
The 28-year-old averaged 15 disposals, four marks and 29 hitouts, but worked really well around the ground and offering a contested marking option on the wing. It wouldn’t surprise to see him up there in the count.
Predicted top five
1. Lloyd, 2. Parker, 3. Heeney, 4. Franklin, 5. Sinclair
John Worsfold Medal – Elliot Yeo
Elliot Yeo may join Ben Cousins, Glen Jakovich, Darren Glass, Chris Judd and Guy McKenna as a multiple-time winner of West Coast’s best and fairest after graduating to a full-time midfield role in 2018.
If the aforementioned Heeney is the league’s most complete midfielder, Yeo isn’t far behind, given the ability to play a role in defence and score when in attack.
Yeo was West Coast’s best tackler and inside 50 player, while playing a strong, contested style of footy. Andrew Gaff will be the main danger for the award following a consistent season that was abruptly ended following the infamous incident involving Andrew Brayshaw.
(Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
Jack Darling’s start to the season is often forgotten as he was the league’s most dangerous player in the first half of the year.
Shannon Hurn will also push for an All-Australian position having led the league in marks across defence. Brad Sheppard is another non-Victorian defender who is often overlooked as he was the club’s most reliable defender in 2018.
Predicted top five
1. Yeo – 2. Gaff – 3. Darling – 4. Hurn – 5. Sheppard
Charles Sutton Medal – Jack Macrae
The Bulldogs finished off the season quite well, and there’s absolutely no surprise it coincided with the return of Jack Macrae.
Who knows where he may have finished in the Brownlow playing a full season, but he should certainly take home the other ‘Charlie’ for the first time in his career.
He finished with an average of 33 disposals, six clearances, six marks and five tackles. Marcus Bontempelli is still only 22 years of age, yet is another who is unfairly rated against his own elite standards.
He fought with injury for a long time this season but still enjoyed a good year. Toby McLean tailed off towards the end of the year, but he has established himself well and truly as a key player in the team.
Lachie Hunter averaged 30 disposals and six marks, but his work rate to get back in defence often was the real positive about his game.
At 23 years of age, he is another member of this young midfield brigade the Bulldogs are building, which people forget about.
Josh Dunkley’s finish to the season will win him a best-and-fairest award in the future, but it might not be enough to get a podium finish in 2018.
Mitch Wallis added goal kicking to his game this year, managing 20 goals in his 18 games.
Predicted top five
1. Macrae, 2. Bontempelli, 3. McLean, 4. Hunter, 5. Wallis
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