Scott Pendlebury and Dayne Beams each received eight votes after their both gathered 36 disposals on Saturday night.
Beams kicked two goals while Pendlebury laid five tackles.
No wonder Nathan Buckley and Chris Scott couldn’t split them.
It means the pair are within striking distance of top spot on the leader board, as Essendon’s Jobe Watson (71 votes) is only eight votes clear of Pendlebury (on 63) and 11 ahead of Beams (60).
Pendlebury’s performance in his first match for five weeks comes as no surprise. For any other player, to return 36 possessions and five tackles after such a layoff with a cracked tibia would have whipped the football world into a frenzy. For Pendlebury, a Norm Smith Medallist and last year’s Copeland Trophy winner, it was seen as business as usual.
In his two games against Geelong this year, Pendlebury has received 18 of a possible 20 votes. His consistency extends beyond games against Geelong, as he has had less than 29 disposals in only two of his 11 games this season, one of which was ended by injury at half time.
For Beams, Saturday night was a continuation of his breakout season in which he is now being touted as one of the competition’s elite midfielders. Prior to 2012, he had won 30 or more possessions in five of his 59 matches, but in his 14 games this year, he has reached that figure on nine occasions.
Further to that, the 22-year-old has already laid 55 tackles, three short of his 58 in 2011 and only 20 behind his 75 in 25 games back in 2010.
Other Collingwood players to poll included Heath Shaw (seven votes) and Harry O’Brien (one). Shaw’s game was one of his best for the season, winning 29 possessions, 22 of which were kicks. It means he has had 59 touches in his two clashes with the Cats this season.
Three Geelong players - Tom Lonergan (three), James Kelly (two) and Steve Johnson (one) - also polled votes.
Geelong v Collingwood Voting
| Votes | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Dayne Beams | Coll |
| 8 | Scott Pendlebury | Coll |
| 7 | Heath Shaw | Coll |
| 3 | Tom Lonergan | Geel |
| 2 | James Kelly | Geel |
| 1 | Steve Johnson | Geel |
| 1 | Harry O'Brien | Coll |
Collingwood leader board for the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year (number of matches the player polled)
| Votes | Player |
|---|---|
| 63 | Scott Pendlebury (7) |
| 60 | Dayne Beams (7) |
| 47 | Dane Swan (7) |
| 32 | Steele Sidebottom (5) |
| 16 | Dale Thomas (5) |
| 13 | Ben Reid (2) |
| 12 | Jarryd Blair (4) |
| 11 | Travis Cloke (3) |
| 11 | Harry O'Brien (3) |
| 7 | Sharrod Wellingham (4) |
| 4 | Nick Maxwell (2) |
| 3 | Nathan Brown (1) |
| 3 | Ben Johnson (1) |
| 3 | Heath Shaw (1) |
| 1 | Marty Clarke (1) |
| 1 | Alan Didak (1) |
| 1 | Tyson Goldsack (1) |
Leader board for the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year
| Votes | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 71 | Jobe Watson | Essendon |
| 70 | Trent Cotchin | Richmond |
| 68 | Scott Thompson | Adelaide |
| 66 | Matthew Boyd | Western Bulldogs |
| 63 | Scott Pendlebury | Collingwood |
| 60 | Dayne Beams | Collingwood |
| 55 | Gary Ablett | Gold Coast |
| 52 | Sam Mitchell | Hawthorn |
| 52 | Joel Selwood | Geelong |
| 50 | Kieren Jack | Sydney |
