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Will Ashcroft finished equal second in the Norm Smith Medal despite a heroic performance in Brisbane's grand final win over Fremantle, while Shaun Burgoyne defended his decision to vote for Fremantle's Dayne Zorko.
WHAT'S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au. Ashcroft was heroic with six disposals , four clearances and three score involvements after Wharfie Time sounded in the dying minutes of Saturday’s decider to lead Brisbane’s stunning come-from-behind win over Fremantle.
The Lions star finished with a game-high 31 disposals, plus nine clearances, seven score involvements and 496 metres gained. It was enough to give Ashcroft 13.5 coaches votes in the grand final and the Gary Ayres Award for a second-straight year as the best finals player. But Ashcroft ran equal second in the Norm Smith Medal with six votes and was left off both Burgoyne and fellow panellist Andrew McLeod’s ballot.
Fellow AFL greats Chris Judd and Michael Voss and Herald Sun journalist Lauren Wood were the other voters, with Wood the only panelist to give Ashcroft best-on-ground. Bolton become the first winner in a losing side since Chris Judd in 2005. , Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph says both the AFL and Burgoyne are comfortable with how the process played out.
“The AFL’s view is it assembles the very best panel of media, former players and former coaches and let’s them do their thing. That the system is not broken. It doesn’t mean the controversy won’t continue to rage,” Ralph said.
“I spoke to one of those panellists in Shaun Burgoyne, who’s voted in two of the last three of these events. “He said in 2024 he voted for Will Ashcroft, he didn’t think he was the best player on the ground this weekend, he thought that was Dayne Zorko. “Burgoyne took it very seriously. He says he retreated to a quiet room post game for those magical minutes to consider his view.
He said wasn’t rushed, he said he was not asked to give his votes before the game ended, he said he wouldn’t change a thing. ” Burgoyne believed Zorko was “the most consistent performer across the day” and “clearly Will had an impact in the last four minutes but I look at it from start to finish. ” For four-time premiership Hawk Jordan Lewis, making sure Norm Smith panellists aren’t drinking alcohol nor “distracted” is an “easy fix” moving forward.
“I like the diversity, I like players in the game and players out of the game, I like the journalists. But I think if any of the panellists are having a beer during the game, I think that’s an easy fix,” Lewis said.
“That’s probably more just the optics of it. Just to not be distracted and maybe around family and friends. Two moments that COST Fremantle | 01:20 Triple premiership Lion Jonathan Brown, who voted in Geelong’s 2022 domination of Sydney when Isaac Smith was near unanimously judged best afield, had sympathy for the voters. But Brown was perplexed that Ashcroft received no votes from two members given his dominant 12-disposal final term “I dunno, it is hard.
Mine was an easy year in 2022, was in front by a long way, you could’ve put the votes in early. But this was a tough one,” Brown said.
“I felt as if, being at the ground, there were five or six in it. Then Will separated himself from the pack in that last four or five minutes. I guess that’s why it stood out to me and a lot of people, Will’s absence with a couple of the voters for any of the votes.
“I think ‘Fages’ said it, it is arguably the greatest five minutes an individual has put together in a grand final. ” Tigers champion Jack Riewoldt added: “Shaun Burgoyne spoke about the whole game, but Brisbane don’t win that grand final without Will Ashcroft and the damage he had. ” Geelong assistant and Collingwood icon Nathan Buckley thinks the coaches votes in the Gary Ayres Award are a “guide” that Ashcroft was a more deserving winner.
“You’d think Ashcroft, Serong, Jackson and Dunkley were seen as more influential by the coaches,” Buckley said on the program. “It is a tough gig at times, it is an individual opinion, that’s why we have five voters to do it. There’s probably a little bit in this, given there’s probably four players we thought had greater influence than Bolton. ”Dayne Zorko – 6 votes Hayden Young – 3 votes 3. Dayne Zorko
AFL Norm Smith Medal Will Ashcroft Shaun Burgoyne Grand Final
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