Lachie Whitfield has earned his second perfect 10 vote game in the Shadforth AFL Coaches Association’s Champion Player of the Year Award after recording a game-high 41 disposals during the GIANTS’ win over Calrton on Sunday night.
The reigning Kevin Sheedy Medallist also kicked three goals and took 18 marks in a dominant display during the 93-point win.
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Whitfield was deemed best on ground by GIANTS Coach Leon Cameron and Carlton coach Brendan Bolton, an achievement made all the more impressive given it was Whitfield’s first game back after two weeks on the sidelines.
It’s the second time the 24-year-old has received a perfect 10 votes from the coaches in a game with Whitfield receiving the honour following the GIANTS’ round four win over Geelong.
Whitfield was also one of three GIANTS included in AFL.com.au’s Team of the Week, with the speedster named on the half forward flank.
Forward Jeremy Finlayson, who kicked five goals in the win over the Blues to move to fifth on the Coleman Medal leaderboard, was named at full forward, while tagger Matt de Boer was named on the interchange.
It’s the first time that both Finlayson and de Boer have been named in the AFL.com.au Team of the Week, despite both having started the season in fine form.
De Boer was particularly impressive on Sunday as he limited Carlton captain Patrick Cripps to just 12 disposals while gathering 27 touches.
Cripps is the latest scalp claimed by de Boer with the 29-year-old having limited the influence of Richmond’s Dustin Martin and Geelong’s Patrick Dangerfield in previous games.
Coincidentally de Boer received his first coaches votes of the season, receiving seven votes for his efforts in the GIANTS’ round nine win.
Shadforth AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Award
10 Lachie Whitfield
7 Tim Taranto
7 Matt de Boer
4 Josh Kelly
2 Jeremy Finlayson
