Dustin Martin has made a flying start in the AFL Coaches Association’s 2017 Gary Ayres Award for the best player over the course of the finals series.
The outstanding Richmond midfielder, fresh from winning the AFLCA’s Player of the Year Award (for his superb home-and-away season), polled nine votes following his dynamic display for the Tigers in their 51-point win against Geelong in last Friday night’s big qualifying final encounter at the MCG.
Richmond captain Trent Cotchin was rewarded with eight votes for his inspirational efforts throughout the match.
It was a clean sweep, voting-wise, in the Gary Ayres Award for the Tigers in the opening week of the finals, with quality defender Nick Vlastuin, seven votes, top on-baller Dion Prestia, four votes, valuable midfielder Kane Lambert, one vote, and star key defender Alex Rance, one vote, rounding out the Yellow and Black domination.
Sydney captain Josh Kennedy, who won the inaugural Gary Ayres Award last year, shares the early lead in 2017 with West Coast’s Luke Shuey, with both receiving 10 votes. Then follows Martin on nine votes, and Cotchin with eight votes, alongside Adelaide pair Eddie Betts and Brad Couch, West Coast’s Jeremy McGovern and Sydney’s Luke Parker.
The Gary Ayres Award is named in recognition of the five-time Hawthorn premiership great and dual Norm Smith Medallist.
