FUSSY pipped me last year with an exceptional list of predictions for the top 10 of the John Cahill Medal - he got the top seven correct.

I’ll be damned if I let him do it again.

As the loser of last year’s best and fairest guessing game (me having tipped Boak while Fuss picked the eventual winner Wingard) I’ve seized the initiative and gone first with my predictions.

It must be said, if last year’s top 10 was difficult to predict, this one is even harder.

The consistent season that saw the Power rise to third on the ladder after finals came on the back of all players contributing, and contributing well, to the bumper season of success.

For me, there were plenty of aspects to consider when compiling this top 10.
 
Games played, consistency of performance, 'getting the job done' (disposals mean little if you’re tagging, shutting down or doing some other weird role we mere mortals have no idea has been assigned to the player) and general game impact (or helping the team to victory).

So that’s a lot of information a non-coach has to translate into some kind of  score after 25 games.

That said, I’m pretty confident I’ll at least get the winner right this year…

My Top 10

1. Robbie Gray
It’s an easy pick, this one. When your senior coach describes you as the best player in the competition for the season, you play every game, you get the nod as the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year, kick 42 goals from 75 scoring shots and average 25 touches a game, you’re a safe bet.

But lets actually give Robbie the love he deserves – he was the Power best player by far this year and, I believe, the most consistent. He ticks every box for the criteria I set myself choosing this list.

He played every game this year and was consistent throughout the season with few down games, so I'd be surprised if he doesn't take the gong home.

If he doesn't there is one bloke who would take it from him...

2. Travis Boak
Boaky was stellar again and would be a worthy winner of a second best and fairest, although I think his mate Robbie will win with a healthy buffer.

Boaky was consistent, rarely out of a game but for a few matches and had plenty of impact throughout the season.

He is arguably the Power’s most important player and his ability to lead by example throughout the year was top shelf.

Superb performances against Sydney in Round 20, Brisbane in Round 4 and the Tigers in both Round 17 and the elimination final were his highlights and polled the most votes for the club during the Brownlow Medal count.


Boaky might be asking himself what more he could have done to win another B&F at the end of Friday night. I reckon he'll poll just behind Gray.

3. Matthew Lobbe
‘Lobbes’ played almost every game this year, was a fantastic ruckman – solo at times – and impressive in his ability to impact throughout the game with excellent contested play and handy work (pardon the pun) at stoppages.

His consistent year was dotted with chart-topping moments - like 21 touches against the Swans in Round 13 and 56 hit outs against Gold Coast late in the year.

I’ve loved Lobbe's tackle pressure this year - he averages more than six per game and topped that stat among the playing group.

I reckon he’s a third-placer and, if not, a top-five finishing prospect.

4. Jack Hombsch
This guy is probably the Power’s most underrated player.

Hombsch has rarely been beaten this year and gives plenty out of defence.

I think I would only need one hand, at most, to count the number of times he didn't impose himself on his direct opponent, such was the effectiveness of his season.

Frankly, he was stiff to miss out on the 22under22 team and I reckon most clubs would love having him in their team.

His consistency has been his asset this year and I think he’s in line for a top-five finish.

5. Jay Schulz
I feel like I’m taking a big gamble with this one, but I think he deserves it.

Schulz is Port Adelaide’s best performer in front of goals since Warren Tredrea’s 81-goal season in 2004 and Scott Cummings’s 70 majors in 1997.

He tied with Tredders for the club’s single-game goal kicking record and tore backlines apart with his positioning work, destructively accurate kick and ability to draw and beat some of the league’s top defenders.

Playing every game also helps his credentials for a top five finish.


Could Schulz crack the top five? After a big season in front of goals he's definitely a chance!

6. Matthew Broadbent
Broady was consistent again this year and played every game.

I think he’ll poll in all, just not the super-high values I’m expecting from the likes of Gray and Boak.

I really liked his work down back and through the centre this year and the bonus for the Power faithful with ‘Brogsy’ is that 2014 was another reliable year from a bloke who was just votes away from a John Cahill Medal of his own two years ago.

7. Hamish Hartlett, Kane Cornes
Hammer hasn’t had the consistent year I'm sure he'd have liked this season with injury counting against his ability to play every match, but gee he’s a weapon.

Probably the Power’s most damaging player, his mighty kick is a thing to behold and averaging more than 21 disposals a game is a really important facet for a midfielder who hasn’t yet realised his potential. There's plenty more to come from him in the future, but his 2014 was a darn good showing.

Kane always polls well and I think he again produced the trademark consistency that has seen him maintain an important place in this side.

Pipped as the club’s leading disposal-getter, I also reckon we’ll see him around the 7th place mark with Hammer.

9. Brad Ebert
Ebo was around the mark in most games this year and despite a couple of quiet games, he should poll in the top 10 again.

At his best, Ebo was a super contested midfielder who could go forward to kick goals, tag a damaging midfielder or float back when required.

10. Lucky dip
I’m cheating a little bit here, because I do think any (or all) of Ollie Wines, Chad Wingard and Justin Westhoff will take a spot at 10th or inside the top 10.

Absolutely, any of them could be higher than that this spot and could certainly squeeze a few of the blokes higher up out of this bracket, they've had regular impact, played versatile roles and I’ve found it really difficult to squeeze them all in.

To clarify this top 10, I think places 5-15 could be separated by very few points - single digits in most cases.

Certainly, you don’t finish third and have an eight-game winning run without a team-wide contribution.

Of the eight players who played every game in 2014, only one hasn’t been named in this top ten and of the five who missed one game, four have made an appearance - so I think ‘games played’ will be crucial to polling well in this count.

Honourable Mentions

Jasper Pittard, Jared Polec: Top 15 for sure, and plenty of potential to go higher next year.
Jackson Trengove, Tom Jonas, Alipate Carlile, Matt White: Injury will count against them in the standings; if it does, it will mask incredibly good seasons from each of them.


Could we see Kane Cornes welcome any of these blokes into the Top 10 this year? It's a possibility...

Other Awards

Fos Williams Medal - Best Team Man as voted by his teammates
Travis Boak - I think he'll win it again, purely because I think he best embodies the team values of leadership, selflessness, professionalism, courage and loyalty.

Gavin Wanganeen Medal - best player under 21 (age in January 2014)
Jack Hombsch - I can hardly put the bloke in fourth place in the best and fairest count and not pick him for the Wanganeen Medal. It's a misconception that this award must go to a debutant after Ollie Wines and Chad Wingard have won the last two awards in their inaugural seasons, but Hamish Hartlett proved in 2011 that an upper-age player can be a worthy winner of this award.

Coaches' Award - improved significantly in the current year from the previous year
Alipate Carlile - Dead heat for me between this bloke and Matty Lobbe. In truth it came down to a coin toss (tails never fails). Bobby has been a really strong performer and was all class defensively at the start of the year with some fantastic work on great forwards. Injury curtailed his season briefly but until that point he was vying for a place in the All-Australian team.

John McCarthy Award - community service outside of the club
Travis Boak - He's a class act on the field, and he's just as good a leader off it. Boaky's work with the Childhood Cancer Association saw him nominated for the prestigious Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award at this year's Brownlow Medal and his example has led to several other players adopting their own important causes to work with outside of the club's own community programs.

All this written down, I'm probably really, really wrong. Check portadelaidefc.com.au on Wednesday for Andrew Fuss's predictions...

Previous Port Adelaide AFL award winners

Year	John Cahill Medal	B+F 2nd	B+F 3rd	Fos Williams Medal	Gavin Wanganeen Medal	Coaches' Award	John McCarthy Award
2013	Chad Wingard	Travis Boak	Kane Cornes	Travis Boak	Ollie Wines	Justin Westhoff	Jack Hombsch
2012	Kane Cornes	Brad Ebert and Matt Broadbent		Brad Ebert	Chad Wingard	Tom Jonas
2011	Travis Boak and Jackson Trengove		Tom Logan	Dom Cassisi	Hamish Hartlett	Tom Logan*
2010	Kane Cornes	Troy Chaplin	Alipate Carlile	Dom Cassisi	Jackson Trengove	Paul Stewart
2009	Warren Tredrea	Kane Cornes	Troy Chaplin	Dom Cassisi	Travis Boak	Robbie Gray
2008	Kane Cornes	Dom Cassisi	Daniel Motlop	Dom Cassisi	Alipate Carlile	Travis Boak
2007	Kane Cornes	Chad Cornes	Peter Burgoyne	Troy Chaplin	Justin Westhoff	David Rodan
2006	Brendon Lade	Shaun Burgoyne	Kane Cornes	Brendon Lade	Danyle Pearce	Shaun Burgoyne
2005	Warren Tredrea	Kane Cornes	Dom Cassisi	Darryl Wakelin		Dom Cassisi
2004	Warren Tredrea	Kane Cornes	Michael Wilson	Michael Wilson		Kane Cornes
2003	Gavin Wanganeen	Warren Tredrea	Peter Burgoyne	Josh Carr		Dean Brogan
2002	Matthew Primus	Warren Tredrea	Chad Cornes/Josh Francou	Josh Carr		Chad Cornes
2001	Warren Tredrea	Josh Carr	Nick Stevens	Matthew Primus		Josh Carr
2000	Brett Montgomery	Nick Stevens	Fabian Francis	Matthew Primus		Roger James
1999	Stephen Paxman	Warren Tredrea	Adam Kingsley	Josh Francou		Warren Tredrea
1998	Adam Kingsley	Donald Dickie	Darren Mead	Brayden Lyle		Warren Tredrea
1997	Darren Mead	Matthew Primus	Michael Wilson	Brayden Lyle