Dustin Martin continued the form that saw him win the Shadforth Financial Group AFLCA Champion Player of the Year and the AFL Players MVP Award, as well as a Brownlow and Premiership medal in 2017.
Martin collected a team high 32 disposals for the Tigers, along with six inside-50s and a goal helping them to a 26-point win over the Blues. However his seven-vote performance was overshadowed by Carlton young gun Patrick Cripps. Cripps was given the maximum ten votes by the coaches for his 36-disposal effort which included a whopping 25 contested possessions.
St Kilda’s Jack Steven was the second player to poll maximum coaches votes for his 34 possessions and two goals against Brisbane. His speed through the midfield proved too much for the Lions to handle as they went down by 25 points.
However, it was Hawthorn ball magnet Tom Mitchell who stole the show, racking up an AFL/VFL record 54 disposals and earning all ten coaches votes in the Hawks 34-point defeat of Collingwood. This is not the first time Mitchell has thrived against the Pies, collecting 50 disposals in round nine last year when he polled five coaches votes in a losing team.
Three-time AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Gary Ablett shared the spotlight during his Geelong homecoming with the coaches awarding Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn best on ground honours in the Demon’s 3 point loss. Gawn’s 20 disposal, 47 hit out domination of Zac Smith earned him nine coaches votes, whilst Ablett’s graceful 39 disposals translated to six coaches votes.
Lance Franklin fired at the new stadium in the West with a massive eight-goal haul, earning maximum coaches votes to sit equal atop the leader board. The Eagles defence had no answer for Franklin from start to finish as the Swans were victorious by 29 points in the inaugural match at Optus Stadium.
