PORT ADELAIDE midfielder Sam Powell-Pepper has been named runner-up in the 2018 Shadforth Financial Group AFL Coaches Association Best Young Player of the Year Award.
The Best Young Player of the Year Award is determined by weekly votes of the AFL coaches based on performances in the player’s first two seasons of AFL Football.
There is no age limit for nominees.
Powell-Pepper has played 38 games in 2017 and 2018, booting 21 goals.
The 20-year-old averages 17.9 disposals, 2.4 marks and 5.6 tackles per game and in 2018 had career-highs for kicks (16), handballs (19), disposals (28) and goals (2).
He also set a club record after having 17 tackles against Melbourne in round 14 exemplifying his ability to hunt the ball and desire to impact on contests.
The overall winner of the award was Tom Stewart of the Geelong Football Club.
Stewart built upon his fantastic 2017 season to average 20.3 disposals, 6.2 marks, and 5.6 rebound 50s per game in 2018, and proved to be a key cog in Geelong’s stingy
The South Barwon mature age recruit ranked third in the AFL for total rebound 50s, showcasing his run-and-carry and elite ball use from day one at the club.
After suffering a syndesmosis ankle injury that threatened to prematurely end his home and away season, the 25-year old missed just one match in 2018, and in the process cemented himself as one of the most reliable defenders in the game.
AFL Coaches Association CEO Mark Brayshaw congratulated Stewart on his first two seasons in the AFL.
“The AFL Coaches Association’s Champion Player of the Year votes are a real badge of
“The coaches don’t give them away lightly!
“That Tom has earned 40 in the first two years of his AFL career is a wonderful endorsement.”
Stewart received 40 votes from the AFL coaches during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, finishing 17 votes ahead of Powell-Pepper (23 votes), with Brisbane’s Hugh McCluggage (20 votes) a further three votes back in third place.
Previous winners of the award include Clayton Oliver, Scott Pendlebury, Joel Selwood and Brownlow medalists Chris Judd and Nathan Fyfe.
2018 SHADFORTH FINANCIAL GROUP AFL COACHES ASSOCIATION
BEST YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR LEADERBOARD
Place | Name | Club | Votes 2017 and 2018 |
1st | Tom Stewart | Geelong Cats | 40 |
2nd | Sam Powell-Pepper | Port Adelaide | 23 |
3rd | Hugh McCluggage | Brisbane Lions | 20 |
4th | Luke Ryan | Fremantle Dockers | 19 |
5th | Hugh Greenwood | Adelaide Crows | 17 |
PREVIOUS WINNERS
2018 | Tom Stewart (GEELONG) |
2017 | Clayton Oliver (MELBOURNE) |
2016 | Isaac Heeney (SYDNEY SWANS) |
2015 | Marcus Bontempelli (WESTERN BULLDOGS) |
2014 | Jaeger O'Meara (GOLD COAST SUNS) |
2013 | Jeremy Cameron (GWS |
2012 | Dyson Heppell ( |
2011 | Nathan Fyfe (FREMANTLE) |
2010 | Stephen Hill (FREMANTLE) |
2009 | Cyril Rioli ( |
2008 | Joel Selwood (GEELONG CATS) |
2007 | Scott Pendlebury ( |
2006 | Ryan Griffen (WESTERN BULLDOGS) |
2005 | Adam Cooney (WESTERN BULLDOGS) |
2004 | Daniel Wells (NORTH MELBOURNE) |
2003 | Chris Judd (WEST COAST EAGLES) |
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