Round 13 produced some scintillating football, and saw three final contenders stay in touch with the pack with resounding victories. Port Adelaide’s Ollie Wines, West Coast’s Elliot Yeo, Fremantle’s Lachie Neale, and Hawthorn’s James Sicily earned the maximum votes from the coaches, with their performances standing clearly above the rest. Fremantle’s Nat Fyfe has retained top spot in the 2018 Shadforth Financial Group AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Award after Round 13, with his eight votes against Carlton giving him an 11-vote lead over Hawthorn’s Tom Mitchell, who also scored an eight from the coaches.
Wines was immense for Port Adelaide, as the Power’s fast start sunk the Western Bulldogs to stay in touch with the top-four. The big-bodied midfielder continued his rich vein of form, notching up his second consecutive perfect-10, on his way to 35 disposals, seven tackles, and kicking a goal in a clearly best on ground performance.
Yeo lead from the front for West Coast in a tense top-four clash with Sydney. The gun midfielder had 29 disposals, 13 inside-50’s, eight tackles and kicked two crucial goals as the Eagles went down to the Swans by 15 points.
Neale was the wrecking ball in Fremantle’s 57-point demolition of Carlton at Etihad Stadium, doing as he pleased on his way to 33 disposals (14 contested), seven clearances, and three goals. The silky Dockers ball-winner did most of his damage in the first half, helping his side to a 70-point half-time lead that would prove to be too much for the Blues to overcome.
When the game was there to be won, Sicily was the difference for Hawthorn. The star Hawk was everywhere in his side’s 56-point rout of the Adelaide Crows, collecting 24 disposals, eight marks, kicking three goals and amassing a game-high 11 one-percenters. His performance kept the Hawks in touch with the top-eight, and earned him a perfect-10 from the coaches.
