Jack Crisp again the cream of Collingwood crop

Collingwood midfielder Jack Crisp is quickly forging his place in Magpies’ history, claiming his second-straight E. W Copeland Trophy in a tight count on Friday night.

Crisp, 28, collected 291 votes, polling in every home-and-away match and throughout the finals series when the Magpies finished just shy of the grand final. He finished runner-up to Patrick Dangerfield in the AFL Coaches’ Association Gary Ayres Award.

Skipper Scott Pendlebury, 34, but still at the top of his game, was runner-up (276 votes), with Darcy Moore third (269 votes).

In a fine season when he also celebrated his 200th game, Crisp averaged 23.8 disposals and 9.6 contested possessions, and booted 12 goals, as a midfielder and rebounding half-back.

This was Crisp’s eighth season at Collingwood, having spent his first three seasons with the Lions. That he joined the Magpies only as an add-on in a wider deal in 2014 which gave the Lions Dayne Beams and the Magpies selection No.5 – which they used on Jordan De Goey – means his story has become one of the more remarkable in recent history.

He has finished top three in the Copeland Trophy count five times, including winning last season when the Magpies finished 17th. He has also become something of an ironman, notching 188 consecutive matches, the most of any active player.

Only 10 men have won the Copeland Trophy three or more times.

Pendlebury, who celebrated his 350th game this season, has now finished in the top three of the Copeland count in 14 of his 17 seasons in the black and white. Vice-captain Moore polled in all but one round, having been sidelined with knee soreness in round 17. Moore won the Bob Rose Award for best player during the finals.