Young Swans forward Ben Ronke polled a near-perfect nine votes in the AFL Coaches’ Association’s Champion Player of the Year award after the win over North Melbourne on Sunday.
The 20-year-old booted five goals, including the second-last major of the game, as the Swans clinched a gripping six-point victory at Etihad Stadium.
Midfielder Isaac Heeney collected four votes after raking in 28 possessions, five clearances and two goals.
The QBE Sydney Swans Academy product was enormous in absence of skipper Josh Kennedy, who called stumps in the second term due to a back complaint.
Defenders Jake Lloyd (Swans-high 30 touches) and Aliir Aliir (23 disposals) earned a vote each, with their rebound off half-back crucial to the Round 16 win.
Aliir and North Melbourne juggernaut Majak Daw crossed swords in a captivating one-on-one contest, but the towering Swan left his fellow Sudanese native to sneak forward and snag the match-winning major.
The Kangaroos’ Jack Ziebell (nine votes) and Shaun Higgins (six) also fired.
AFLCA Champion Player of the Year
Round 17 – North Melbourne v Sydney Swans
9 Ben Ronke (SYD)
9 Jack Ziebell (NMFC)
6 Shaun Higgins (NMFC)
4 Isaac Heeney (SYD)
1 Jake Lloyd (SYD)
1 Aliir Aliir (SYD)
2018 leaderboard
71 Max Gawn (MELB)
68 Patrick Cripps (CARL)
62 Shaun Higgins (NMFC)
59 Nat Fyfe (FRE)
58 Tom Mitchell (HAW)
53 Andrew Gaff (WCE)
53 Steele Sidebottom (COLL)
51 Dayne Beams (BL)
50 Dyson Heppell (ESS)
46 Brodie Grundy (COLL)
46 Rory Laird (ADEL)
46 Dustin Martin (RICH)
45 Trent Cotchin (RICH)
45 Clayton Oliver (MELB)
43 Kane Lambert (RICH)
42 Jack Darling (WCE)
42 Ben Cunnington (NMFC)
42 Jack Macrae (WB)
42 Lachie Whitfield (GWS)
41 Joel Selwood (GEEL)
