Jayden Short has catapulted himself into truly elite company in AFL football ranks.
The dashing defender is one of just three rookie-list players to have gone on and become a Best and Fairest winner at their club in a premiership year.
Short, who was pick 11 overall in the 2015 rookie draft, did it this year with Richmond, taking out the Jack Dyer Medal following an impressively high level of performance in his rebounding role out of the backline.
The 2017 and 2020 premiership Tiger consistently showcased his pace, running ability and kicking skills over the course of the season.
His capacity to cover the ground with hard, quick running, and then turn defence into attack through long, accurate, penetrating kicks, made him such an important member of Richmond’s line-up.
Since the introduction of the AFL’s rookie draft in 1997, the only two other players from the rookie list to accomplish the feat of winning a club best and fairest in a premiership year, have been Sydney’s Brett Kirk and Hawthorn’s Josh Gibson.
Kirk won his Best and Fairest in the Swans’ drought-breaking 2005 premiership year, while Gibson managed it twice with the Hawks – in 2013 and 2015.
