Voting for the Magpie Army Player of the Year Award continues as the 2015 AFL season draws to a close.
Collingwood Media looks at some of the better players in Friday night’s 48-point victory over Geelong at the MCG.
Collingwood’s top performers
19. Levi Greenwood
Statistics: 13 kicks, 8 handballs, 21 disposals, 10 tackles, 1 goal.
Another big tick for Greenwood this weekend after his first real impressive performance for Collingwood last weekend against Richmond. After comprehensively beating Trent Cotchin, he was tasked with the duty of playing on Joel Selwood and once again took the honours. The Geelong captain was held to just 19 possessions, while Greenwood had 21 of his own, in addition to another impressive 10 tackles. It marks the second week in a row in which the former North Melbourne midfielder has clearly led Collingwood’s tackle count, displaying his ability to consistently play both offense and defence. The performance was capped with the Magpies fifteenth goal at the ten minute mark of the final term.
10. Scott Pendlebury
Statistics: 21 kicks, 11 handballs, 32 disposals, 11 marks, 6 tackles.
Friday night gave birth to a side of Scott Pendlebury that hasn’t been seen before in his time at Collingwood. We’re so accustomed to seeing him rove the packs and follow the ball to every corner of the MCG, so it came as a surprise when the captain spent the majority of the contest playing at half back. The results were phenomenal. Pendlebury had 32 disposals and used the ball at a remarkable 90.6 per cent efficiency. He drove the ball from defence and set up a number of scoring drives with clever vision and superb foot skills. The bold coaching move also allowed Nathan Buckley to get more out of the 27-year-old than he ever has before. Pendlebury spent 96 per cent of game time on the field against the Cats, the most he’s ever played in his 213-game AFL career.
35. Jordan De Goey
Statistics: 16 kicks, 9 handballs, 25 disposals, 10 clearances, 17 contested possessions.
There were big shoes to fill when Pendlebury exited the midfield and multiple candidates to fill them. In just his fifteenth AFL game, De Goey was perhaps the leading replacement. After being informed during the week by Nathan Buckley and Scott Burns that he was expected to fill a bigger role, De Geoy jumped at the chance. The 19-year-old showed his appetite for ball-winning and eagerness to impress on the big stage in an impressive 25-disposal performance. He recorded career-highs in disposals, kicks (16), clearances (10) and contested possessions (17) to show his rapid progression from rookie to reliable midfielder.
13. Taylor Adams
Statistics: 17 kicks, 19 handballs, 36 disposals, 8 marks, 10 clearances.
Adams the accumulator was at his busy best on Friday night against the Cats. The midfielder had a whopping 36 disposals as he finished the game as the leading ball winner on the ground. Despite the Magpies holding a comfortable 42-point lead at three-quarter-time, Adams refused to put the cue in the rack in the final term. He won 12 possessions as the game wound up, in a performance that would have undoubtedly stuck in the umpire’s minds as they filled out their Brownlow votes post-game. 12 clearances marked a career-high for the 21-year-old, yet the high disposal count wasn’t a first-time thing. He was won 30 touches or more on five occasions this year, with Friday’s performance joining standout games against Greater Western Sydney (36 disposals in round 11) and Port Adelaide (38 in round 15).
How the voting system works
Head to fansmvp.afl.com.au/collingwoodfc/ and register your account. Then, assign three votes to the player you deem to be the best Collingwood player for the game, two votes to the second best player and one vote to the third best.
About the Magpie Army Player of the Year Award
The Magpie Army Player of the Year Award is received by the player deemed the most influential of the season by the Collingwood supporters each year.
In 2015, two tickets are on offer to the E.W. Copeland Trophy Dinner in October for those who cast their vote during the season.
The winner, selected at random, will be afforded the opportunity to present the Magpie Army Player of the Year Award to the winning player, plus receive a photograph with the winner following the presentation.
