West Coast utility Elliot Yeo has overtaken Adelaide’s Rory Sloane at the top of the 2017 Shadforth Financial Group AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Award.
Yeo received five votes in the Eagles’ stirring Friday night victory against the Western Bulldogs after collecting 29 disposals, while West Coast skipper Shannon Hurn was judged best on ground and received seven coaches’ votes.
The 24-year-old Yeo trailed Sloane after Round 7 by four votes but the Adelaide midfielder has relinquished the lead after failing to poll a vote for the second consecutive week.
Demon teenager Clayton Oliver has moved back inside the top three after polling five votes in the club’s win against Adelaide on Saturday night, while his co-captain Jack Viney received maximum votes from the coaches for his efforts.
St Kilda midfielders Seb Ross and Jack Steven have jumped inside the top 10 for the first time in 2017, with Ross receiving seven votes for his 31 disposals and two goals and Steven polling four votes for his 32 disposals and nine clearances in the win against Carlton.
Other players to receive maximum votes from Round 8 include St Kilda’s Jack Billings (30 touches and five goals), GWS’ Josh Kelly (36 disposals and 11 tackles) and Sydney captain Josh Kennedy (37 touches and nine clearances).
LEADERBOARD
43 – Elliot Yeo (WC)
42 – RORY SLOANE (ADEL)
36 – Clayton Oliver (Melb)
32 – GARY ABLETT (GC)
31 – MARCUS BONTEMPELLI (WB)
31 – Sebastian Ross (Stk)
31 – JOEL SELWOOD (GEEL)
29 – OLLIE WINES (PA)
27 – MARC MURPHY (CARL)
27 – Jack Steven (STK)
AFL Coaches’ Association votes for Round 8:
West Coast v Western Bulldogs
7 Hurn (WCE), 6 Gaff (WCE), 5 Yeo (WCE), 4 Wood (WB), 3 Daniel (WB), 2 Johannisen (WB), 2 Mitchell (WCE), 1 McGovern (WCE)
Hawthorn v brisbane
7 Mitchell (Haw), 7 Rockliff (BL), 5 Zorko (BL), 4 Hartung (Haw), 3 Hodge (Haw), 2 Burton (Haw), 2 McEvoy (Haw)
st kilda v carlton
10 Billings (StK), 7 Cripps (Carl), 7 Ross (StK), 4 Steven (StK), 1 Docherty (Carl), 1 Murphy (Carl)
gws v collingwood
10 Kelly (GWS), 8 Cameron (GWS), 5 Adams (Coll), 4 Sidebottom (Coll), 2 Grundy (Coll), 1 Smith (GWS)
essendon v Geelong
9 Daniher (Ess), 7 Hurley (Ess), 5 McDonald-Tipungwuti (Ess), 4 Heppell (Ess), 3 Fantasia (Ess), 1 Z. Merrett (Ess), 1 Smith (Geel)
adelaide v melbourne
10 Viney (Melb), 8 Hibberd (Melb), 5 Oliver (Melb), 5 Petacca (Melb), 2 Vince (Melb)
richmond v fremantle
10 Walters (Frem), 8 B. Hill (Frem), 5 Grigg (Rich), 4 Rance (Rich), 2 Neale (Frem), 1 Riewoldt (Rich)
gold coast v port adelaide
8 Ebert (PA), 7 Jonas (PA), 6 Wingard (PA), 4 Ryder (PA), 3 Boak (PA), 1 Impey (PA), 1 May (GCS)
north melbourne v sydney
10 Kennedy (Syd), 8 Parker (Syd), 5 Hannebery (Syd), 4 Newman (Syd), 3 Reid (Syd)