Bird collected a career-best 33 disposals – including 25 kicks – five tackles, four clearances, four rebound 50s and three inside 50s in a best on ground performance that netted him the maximum votes in the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year Award.
Ryan O’Keefe (29 disposals and seven tackles while playing on Chris Judd) and Luke Parker (23 disposals, seven clearances, seven tackles and a goal) were the next best Swans players, each with five votes, while Kurt Tippett (17 touches – 13 contested – at 71 percent efficiency, eight one percenters, five inside 50s and two goals) received two votes in his second game for the club.
Carlton’s Lachie Henderson (six votes) and Kade Simpson (two votes) were the other players to receive votes from the coaches.
Dan Hannebery (third) and Kieren Jack (fifth) both slipped in the overall voting with Adelaide’ Patrick Dangerfield (second) and Essendon’s Jobe Watson (fourth) both receiving votes to move in front of the Swans players. Gary Ablett is still the stand-out leader with 75 votes.
Sydney Swans v Carlton
10 Craig Bird (Syd)
6 Lachie Henderson (Carl)
5 Ryan O'Keefe (Syd)
5 Luke Parker (Syd)
2 Kade Simpson (Carl)
2 Kurt Tippett (Syd)
Round 14 Leaderboard
75 Gary Ablett (GC)
57 Patrick Dangerfield (Adel)
54 Daniel Hannebery (Syd)
54 Jobe Watson (Ess)
53 Kieren Jack (Syd)
46 Ryan Griffen (WB)
46 Scott Pendlebury (Coll)
43 Nathan Fyfe (Frem)
40 Jarryd Roughead (Haw)
40 Chad Wingard (Port)
