A Western Bulldogs record is within Marcus Bontempelli’s sights after the captain claimed a fifth best-and-fairest award on Wednesday night.
Bontempelli won the Charles Sutton Medal with 342 votes from midfield partner Tom Liberatore (278) and defender Ed Richards (193) to move closer to Scott West’s record seven wins.
Caleb Daniel finished fourth in the Bulldogs’ vote count after a season spent mostly in the middle, while defender Liam Jones remarkably rounded out the top five despite missing almost two months with a broken arm.
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The major shift in the Bulldogs’ midfield pecking order was reflected by ultra-consistent on-baller Jack Macrae missing the top 10 for the first time in 10 years.
Macrae, who was tactically subbed out of the Bulldogs’ shock round 22 loss to West Coast before delayed concussion symptoms forced him out of the final game, spent much of the season at half-forward, and his average of 25.3 disposals was his lowest since his debut season in 2013.
The midfield accumulator was runner-up best-and-fairest in 2014, and finished in the top five six years in a row between 2017-22.
Despite being named as the sole ruckman in the All-Australian team, Tim English could only place seventh, while Bailey Smith missed the top 10 as key forwards Aaron Naughton and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan snuck in.
English won the Tony Liberatore Most Improved Player Award, while James O’Donnell was recognised with the best first year player award and Liam Jones was awarded most courageous.
Bontempelli also claimed the John Van Groningen Domestique award for most selfless player, to add to his phenomenal haul from the 2023 season which includes the Leigh Matthews Trophy for the AFLPA’s most valuable player, the AFLPA’s Best Captain gong and an All-Australian blazer.
Charles Sutton Medal Top 10
1. Marcus Bontempelli (342 votes)
2. Tom Liberatore (278)
3. Ed Richards (193)
4. Caleb Daniel (190)
5. Liam Jones (172)
6. Adam Treloar (165)
7. Tim English (160)
8. Bailey Dale (152)
9. Aaron Naughton (141)
10. Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (128)
Other award-winners
Chris Grant Best First Year Player: James O’Donnell
Tony Liberatore Most Improved Player: Tim English
Brad Johnson Best Team Player: Caleb Daniel
John Van Groningen Domestique Award: Marcus Bontempelli
Scott West Most Courageous Award: Liam Jones
Coaches Award: Adam Treloar
Footscray Best and Fairest: Lachie Sullivan
John Schultz Community Award: Buku Khamis
VU Education Award: Lachie McNeil
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ANDREWS CROWNED LION KING FOR 2023
Star defender Harris Andrews has edged out Brownlow medallist and fellow Brisbane co-captain Lachie Neale to win the 2023 Lions best-and-fairest award.
Andrews polled 62 votes to beat Neale by one vote in the battle for the Merrett-Murray Medal.
Lions vice-captain Hugh McCluggage was third with 59 votes, while former Western Bulldogs star Josh Dunkley (56) was fourth.
Dunkley’s memorable first season with the Lions, who lost last Saturday’s grand final by just four points to Collingwood, was recognised by his peers in winning the Players’ Player award.
The star midfielder was also named the Shaun Hart Trademark player of the year.
However, it was 26-year-old Andrews who was saluted at the end of the night on Wednesday at the Club Champion dinner at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Andrews won the Merrett-Murray Medal for the first time — with Neale (three) and former skipper Dayne Zorko (four) winning the last seven between them — on the back of a season that included a career-best 369 disposals.
Per game, he averaged 14.5 disposals with 85.9 per cent efficiency, eight marks, 3.5 intercept marks, 9.5 spoils and 3.5 rebound 50s.
He particularly starred against St Kilda in Round 15 with a performance that included career-bests kicks (18) and intercept marks (nine).
They were overall numbers that led to Andrews narrowly outvoting midfield dynamo Neale, who last week won his second Brownlow Medal.
Neale, a three-time winner of the Merrett-Murray Medal, averaged 27.4 disposals per game with a 75.8 per cent disposal efficiency.
McCluggage secured a second successive top-three finish in the voting with a season that included a career-best 34 disposals for a single game in Brisbane’s Round 16 win over Richmond.
Father-son recruit Will Ashcroft, whose debut AFL season ended prematurely due to a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, was named rookie of the year.
Before Wednesday night’s dinner. forward Nakia Cockatoo announced his retirement to his teammates.
Doedee names Brisbane as preferred home | 00:26
Cockatoo, 26, spent the entire 2023 campaign in Brisbane’s VFL team after making 15 AFL appearances for the Lions across their 2021 and 2022 seasons.
Overall Cockatoo, who was picked at No. 10 in the 2014 national draft by Geelong, played 49 AFL matches in a career that included a six-year stint with the Cats.
“Nakia is one of the nicest people you could meet in football and has been a much-loved member of our club that will be missed,” Lions general manager of football Danny Daly said.
“Being a top 10 pick highlights the potential and talent Nakia had as a footballer, but unfortunately for him injuries and his body provided challenges throughout his career.
“However, to play 49 games of AFL football, including some of those being finals, is something he should still be very proud of.
“We wish Nakia and his family all the best with their life after football, and thank him for his service to the Brisbane Lions.”
Merrett-Murray Medal Top 10
1. Harris Andrews (62 votes)
2. Lachie Neale (61)
3. Hugh McCluggage (59)
4. Josh Dunkley (56)
5. Cam Rayner (53)
6. Brandon Starcevich (53)
7. Charlie Cameron (52)
8. Joe Daniher (52)
9. Oscar McInerney (50)
10. Darcy Wilmot (49)
Other awards-winners
Rookie of the Year: Will Ashcroft
Marcus Ashcroft Most Professional Player Award: Lincoln McCarthy
Shaun Hart Trademark Player of the Year: Josh Dunkley
Players’ Player of the Year: Josh Dunkley
Finals Player Award: Keidean Coleman and Hugh McCluggage
Youi Game Changer Award: Keidean Coleman
Life Memberships: Darcy Gardiner
