FOR THE first time this season, Charlie Curnow has received a perfect 10 votes for the AFL Coaches Association’s AFL Champion Player of the Year award, following his dominant performance against the Crows.
Totalling six goals, 21 disposals, 15 score involvements (a career-high) and 12 contested possessions, it’s no surprise that Curnow was unanimously voted the best on ground by both coaches.
Curnow now sits just one vote shy of the AFLCA top 10, as well as sitting in second place on the Coleman Medal leaderboard, two goals behind Richmond’s Tom Lynch (27).
The enigmatic key forward was just one of seven Blues to receive votes in a Carlton clean sweep.
Keeping up his impressive polling form, Patrick Cripps received eight votes for another comprehensive performance, seeing him retain his top spot on the AFLCA leaderboard.
The skipper collected a game-high 35 disposals, 19 contested possessions and slotted two goals, as well as contributing 12 score involvements.
Cripps is arguably in a career-best run of form, and this game was no exception: he is the only player in the competition to have six games with over 30 disposals and a goal, which has incidentally been every game he has completed this season.
A trio of Blues were next with three votes, including Cripps' fellow midfielder Adam Cerra, in-form defender Sam Docherty and the exciting Zac Fisher.
Since arriving at the Blues, Cerra has been a staple in the Carlton midfield and he enjoyed a fine performance on the weekend with 27 disposals and six clearances. He also recorded a game-high 10 inside 50s, where he is currently ranked fourth in the AFL for the stat.
Docherty received coaches' votes for a fourth time this season in what was another polished performance from the All Australian. With 30 disposals and 10 marks, Docherty operated at 80 per cent efficiency for the game and recorded 11 intercepts as the Blues punished the Crows off turnover.
In what was arguably a career-best performance from Fisher, the 23-year-old - who combined his time up forward and in the midfield - amassed 23 disposals, which also included 11 score involvements and two goals.
Matt Kennedy was awarded two votes for his efforts, with the big-bodied midfielder putting in a consistent performance in the midfield with 23 disposals, seven inside 50s and seven score involvements, including a classy third-quarter goal.
Rounding out the votes was Tom De Koning, with the young ruckman quelling the influence of direct opposition Reilly O'Brien while also registering four clearances in a game where the Blues again dominated scores from the source.
Round 8 votes:
