Few names made Fremantle fans shudder quite like Andrew McLeod.
Not only did the Dockers pass on recruiting McLeod for its inaugural squad at the end of 1994 and then traded him to Adelaide, the Darwin-born great then excelled in clashes between the sides.
From 1998 until 2003, McLeod polled maximum Brownlow Medal votes in five of their eight contests, two votes in two other games and had 37 disposals in the only game he did not receive a vote.
McLeod had a two-goal cameo when he first played against new side Fremantle in his fifth AFL game in 1995, then a year later kicked two goals from 10 touches.
But it was Round Two of the 1998 season when the 1997 premiership Crow, Club Champion and Norm Smith Medallist relished a forward line start, kicked six goals and polled the first three Brownlow votes of his career.
McLeod was tagged at half-back in the opening round loss to Carlton and coach Malcolm Blight decided to give “him a crack up forward” on the day the Club unfurled the 1997 Premiership flag.
The switch had an immediate impact, with McLeod kicking three goals in the first 35 minutes as the Crows took control at football park.
He added another in the third term and then two more in the final quarter as Adelaide ran away to a 93-point win. Star forwards Darren Jarman and Matthew Robran were injured early in the game but McLeod, Clay Sampson (also six goals) and Shane Ellen (three) filled the void.
Fortunately for Fremantle, McLeod was missing the next time they met in 1998 and the Dockers won by one point at Subiaco Oval.
Another Fremantle home win in Round 11 of 1999 was still dominated by McLeod with 23 disposals and three goals and the following year his contribution of 28 disposals was rated second behind Simon Goodwin by the umpires.
McLeod collected 34 and 37 disposals in the 2001 clashes, earning three votes in the first game but missing out in the surprise round 22 loss to Fremantle.
He outran a strong tag in round seven of 2002 for 25 possessions, eight clearances plus two goals and took a leading role in Adelaide’s rapid response when the Dockers challenged the Crows early in the second half.
In the last minor round that season, McLeod starred with 35 disposals and two goals in a 40-point away win but Mark Ricciuto received the three Brownlow votes.
McLeod’s fifth set of best-on-ground votes from eight games were awarded in the opening round win of 2003, when he kicked three goals from 24 possessions in Ben Hart’s 250th AFL game.
When McLeod retired late in the 2010 season after a club record 340 games he had played 24 times against Fremantle, ranking highest against opposition clubs for disposals average (22.13), goals (33) and Brownlow Medal votes (22).
McLeod’s Freo flex
1998, Round Two: three Brownlow votes
1999, Round 11: three votes
2000, Round 14: two votes
2001, Round seven: three votes
2001, Round 22: -
2002, Round Seven: three votes
2002, Round 22: two votes
2003, Round One: three votes
