Rory Laird has started the season with a perfect 10 in the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year Award.
Don Pyke and Leon Cameron agreed the 23-year-old was best afield after Laird amassed a career-best 40 possessions in Adelaide’s 56-point win over Greater Western Sydney on Sunday.
The former rookie rarely wasted the ball from half-back, operating at 85 per cent disposal efficiency and recording the most effective kicks of any player for the round (19).
Laird also had a team-high six rebound 50ms, took six marks and laid four tackles in a complete performance.
Another former rookie in Charlie Cameron also received votes from both coaches.
Cameron, 22, was influential with a career-high 23 possessions, eight clearances and two goals. The athletic Crow also hauled in an early Mark of the Year contender in the opening minutes of the second term.
Cameron received six AFLCA votes in his 50th AFL game.
Rory Atkins attracted four votes for his contribution which included 10 inside 50ms, seven tackles and three goals from 19 possessions. The left-footer was also No.1 in the AFL for metres gained per disposal in Round One.
Versatile veteran Richard Douglas also earned four votes for a vintage 27-possession display. Douglas had eight inside 50ms, took six marks and kicked back-to-back goals for the Crows in the third term.
Matt Crouch (three votes), Eddie Betts (two) and Josh Jenkins (one) were the remaining vote-getters.
No Greater Western Sydney players were awarded votes by either coach.
Five players were awarded a perfect 10 in the opening round of the AFL premiership season. Laird is joined by West Coast’s Josh Kennedy, Brisbane’s Dayne Beams, Richmond’s Dustin Martin and Port Adelaide’s Ollie Wines at the top of the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year leaderboard.
ROUND ONE
Adelaide v Greater Western Sydney
10 - Rory Laird
6 - Charlie Cameron
4 - Rory Atkins
4 - Richard Douglas
3 - Matt Crouch
2 - Eddie Betts
1 - Josh Jenkins
AFLCA Player of the Year top ten
10 - Rory Laird (Adel)
10 - Dayne Beams (BL)
10 - Josh Kennedy (WCE)
10 - Dustin Martin (Rich)
10 - Ollie Wines (PA)
9 - Dyson Heppell (Ess)
9 - Andrew Mackie (Geel)
9 - Zach Merrett (Esse)
9 - Clayton Oliver (Melb)
9 - Scott Pendlebury (Coll)
