THE impressive efforts of Melbourne's defenders during Saturday night's gruelling win against Geelong have been recognised by the coaches.
Five Demons were rewarded with AFLCA votes, with stalwart Jake Lever standing out among the red and blue.
Round 8 saw Lever collect five votes, acting as a brick wall against Geelong’s famous forward line, stopping potential scorings and creating pressure for ball movement. He collected a season-high 24 disposals alongside 12 intercepts and 510 metres gained.
Standout defender Steven May was composed during the intense rivalry at the 'G, having a personal season-best 25 disposals, 22 kicks and 13 marks, resulting in three votes.
Skipper Max Gawn added three coaches votes to his already impressive total, keeping him in the top five of the AFLCA leaderboard. Gawn recorded 16 disposals, 11 kicks and 20 hitouts during Saturday's match.
Kysaiah Pickett also featured within the coaches’ votes, polling four after demonstrating poise in the high-intensity environment, where he registered two goals and six score involvements.
Defender-turned-forward, Harrison Petty (one vote) was also recognised after displaying his strong aerial skills and competitiveness.
Check out the full list of votes and the current leaderboard below.
MELBOURNE vs GEELONG – ROUND 8
8 Votes – Max Holmes (GEEL)
6 Votes – Zach Guthrie (GEEL)
5 Votes – Jake Lever (MELB)
4 Votes – Kysaiah Pickett (MELB)
3 Votes – Steven May (MELB)
3 Votes – Max Gawn (MELB)
1 Vote – Harrison Petty (MELB)
LEADERBOARD
55 Votes – Isaac Heeney (Sydney)
47 Votes – Zach Merrett (Essendon)
40 Votes – Caleb Serong (Fremantle)
36 Votes – Max Gawn (Melbourne)
33 Votes – Errol Gulden (Sydney)
