DARREN MONCRIEFF
Monday 12 September, 2011
ABORIGINAL footballers have secured four of the six final nominations for AFL mark and goal of the year from 32 such nominations this season.
Underlining his class, two of those final nominations in both categories belong to Collingwood's Andrew Krakouer in his first season back in the AFL.
Krakouer and Carlton's Andrew Walker, and West Coast's Nic Naitanui, are the three finalists for the AFL Mark of the Year. (View the finalists and vote here.)
Krakouer and another Blue, Eddie Betts, alongside Fremantle's Hayden Ballantyne, are in the running for the AFL Goal of the Year.
Walker was first nominated in round 5 and his 80% of the mark of the round vote secured the win. (The finalists can be viewed here.)
In total, Aboriginal AFL players were nominated 11 times for mark of the year. Of those, Walker secured three nominations (rounds 5, 18 and 21) and won one (round 21).
Krakouer was nominated once (round 9), in which he won the vote and for which he was short-listed for the final.
But it was in front of the big sticks where Aboriginal AFL players dominated the highlight reels, and nominations.
Krakouer was nominated an astonishing five times -- in rounds 1, 6, 9, 12 and 19 -- and he won the round's voting twice, for rounds 1 and 6.
New club Gold Coast got a look in twice.
Liam Patrick's sensational left-footer on the boundary against Brisbane at the Gabba in round 7 was nominated, and Harley Bennell's multiple-bounce, run, carry and goal against Hawthorn in round 24 caught the judges' eye.
Sydney Swans team-mates, Adam Goodes and Lewis Jetta were nominated in the same round for their goals in round 20.
2011 Marks of the Year
Round 5
Andrew Walker (Carlton)
Great leap to earn a goal right on half-time
Round 7
Nathan Krakouer (Gold Coast) (winner)
Great leap over the pack
Liam Patrick (Gold Coast)
Liam leaps high to pull in a special mark
Round 9
Andrew Krakouer (Collingwood) (winner) *
Magnificent leap from behind
Leon Davis (Collingwood)
Flies over the top to take the grab
Round 12
Patrick Ryder (Essendon)
Spectacular fly over two Freo opponents
Round 17
Liam Jurrah (Melbourne)
Jurrah makes it look easy
Round 18
Andrew Walker (Carlton) *
Walker's huge hanger from atop Carlisle's shoulder
Round 20
Patrick Ryder (Essendon)
Big leap, spectacular mark
Round 21
Andrew Walker (Carlton) (winner)
Another huge hanger from Walker
Adam Goodes (Sydney Swans) (second)
Classic flying mark
Finalists
Andrew Krakouer (Collingwood) Round 9
Andrew Walker (Carlton) Round 18
2011 Goals of the Year
Round 1
Jeff Garlett (Carlton)
Garlett capitalises on Tiger mistake
Andrew Krakouer (Collingwood) (winner) *
Fancy footwork from just inside 50
Round 2
Shaun Burgoyne (Hawthorn) (runner-up)
Nice party trick from Burgoyne
Round 3
Lewis Jetta (Sydney Swans)
Rolling goal from Jetta
Jeff Garlett (Carlton)
Puts it through from the wing
Round 5
Daniel Wells (North Melbourne)
A superb long kick from the pacy Roo
Round 6
Andrew Krakouer (Collingwood) (winner)
Krakouer evades a big pack of Dogs to goal
Round 7
Liam Patrick (Gold Coast)
Great snap from the Gabba pocket
Round 9
Andrew Krakouer (Collingwood)
Clever kick around the body
Round 10
Daniel Wells (North Melbourne)
Dynamite goal from Wells
Round 12
Andrew Krakouer (Collingwood) (runner-up)
Brilliant rove, baulk and running banana kick
Eddie Betts (Carlton) (winner)
Crafty left-foot snap from the star forward
Round 16
Lance Franklin (Hawthorn) (winner)
Long run into open goal
Round 18
Eddie Betts (Carlton) (winner) *
Betts' weave and backward snap
Round 19
Andrew Krakouer (Collingwood)
Weave, dodge and shot from 50
Round 20
Lewis Jetta (Sydney Swans)
Sensational high-flying goal
Adam Goodes (Sydney Swans)
Spectacular play from sure-footed Goodes
Round 21
Cyril Rioli (Hawthorn) (winner)
Snap from the pocket
Round 22
Adam Goodes (Sydney Swans)
Goodes dodges, weaves, kicks and goals
Round 23
Buddy Franklin (Hawthorn) (winner)
Dances out of danger to kick from 55 out
Round 24
Harley Bennell (Gold Coast Suns)
Flying running goal
Finalists
Andrew Krakouer (Collingwood) Round 1
Eddie Betts (Carlton) Round 18
AboriginalFootball@westnet.com.au
Last Modified on 13/09/2011 12:55