Sandover Medal PreviewMonday, September 18, 2017 - 3:24 PM - by Chris Pike

THE Sandover Medal count for 2017 looks to be a relatively open affair heading into it and while South Fremantle pair Haiden Schloithe and Tim Kelly are warm favourites, gun on-ballers from Claremont, West Perth and Perth shouldn’t be far away along with a trio from Subiaco.

The Sandover Medal count will be held in the Crown Grand Ballroom at the Crown Towers on Monday night as preparation heats up for Sunday's WAFL Grand Final between Peel Thunder and Subiaco at Domain Stadium on Sunday.

The Sandover Medal remains the most prestigious individual award in West Australian football and it's set to be another fascinating count on Monday night to find out the winner.

2017 WAFL Sandover Medal Details 

South Fremantle pair Tim Kelly and Haiden Schloithe have received the most recognition in the lead up to the light with the goalkicking midfield duo having the best seasons of their respective careers as part of a Bulldogs team that won 16 games for the season.

Kelly was simply dynamic throughout 2017 proving he can win the ball in tight and dominate at clearances while also having the ability to break away from packs, run and carry the ball and kick with great accuracy. Not only did he average 27.1 possessions a game but also kicked 22 goals.

Schloithe is already a fairest and best winner at South Fremantle in 2014 but his 2017 season went to another level as the 24-year-old proved himself a player who could do it all. 

In the midfield he could win the hard ball and set up his teammates, he can still get out into space and be damaging and then in attack he showed he is a genuine forward ending up booting 27 goals for the season. 

On top of averaging 28.5 possessions it was his ability to step up in big moments continually that made him such a standout in 2017.

While many are predicting either Schloithe or Kelly to take out the Sandover Medal come Monday night, they are far from the only two candidates heading into the count.

South Fremantle's preliminary final opponents from Sunday Subiaco will have had plenty of votes to share around having won 19 games for the season meaning the Lions players can't be overlooked.

Prolific on-baller Leigh Kitchin should once again poll well having had a tremendous season playing every game, averaging 24.5 disposals, dominating clearances and the contested ball, and kicking 12 goals.

How his teammate Liam Ryan polls could well be the most fascinating part of the night. The 20-year-old kicked 68 goals to win the Bernie Naylor Medal but how the umpires viewed his season will be intriguing.

Inspirational Subiaco captain Kyal Horsley did miss four games, including the last three of the season, but when he played he was outstanding and at his match-winning best once again for a lot of 2017. As a proven vote winner, it wouldn’t surprise to see him lead by the time he played his last game in Round 19.

Last year's Sandover Medallist Jye Bolton could be every chance to make it back to back victories as well. After a slightly slow start to his second season with the Tigers due to a knee complaint, he was right back to his brilliant best in the Claremont midfield of last year. Considering he is a proven vote winner, he could come home with a flying finish to be right near the top of the vote count.

Another proven vote winner is prolific West Perth on-baller Shane Nelson. He has been supremely consistent his whole career as a premiership player and dual fairest and best winner, his 2017 could well have been the best of his career. 

The best in-and-under contested ball-winner in the WAFL was the leading possession winner for 2017 with 33.2 per game and his supreme consistency should mean he goes incredibly close to a first Sandover Medal triumph. 

Another huge ball winner is Perth captain Clint Jones. The veteran on-baller has to be admired for his dedication and consistency, and after finishing third in 2016, he should again poll strongly in 2017 having averaged 32.9 disposals a game.

Yet another proven vote winner is 2013 winner Rory O'Brien who despite now nearing the 250-game mark of his career, the Peel Thunder veteran had another terrific season splitting his time between the midfield and half-forward to still manage to average 25 possessions a game.

Ruckmen have tended to not poll too well in Sandover Medals in recent history but Swan Districts' Corey Gault, Claremont's Mitch Andrews and South Fremantle's Brock Higgins were the three standout big men of the season so how they poll will prove fascinating.

Other players not without a chance of polling well include Claremont's Ryan Lim; East Perth's Patrick McGinnity and Nathan Blee; South Fremantle's Blaine Johnson, Steven Edwards and Dylan Main, Subiaco's Corey Adamson and Lachlan Delahunty; Swan Districts' Adam Faulkner and Ricky Cary; and West Perth's Kody Manning, Trent Manzone, Andrew Strijk and Luke Meadows. 

As always there are players ineligible who are likely to poll well also including West Perth's Aaron Black; Subiaco's Adam Cockie; East Fremantle's Cameron Eardley, Jonathon Marsh and Jayden Schofield; Swan Districts' David Ellard and Matt Riggio.

TOP 10 SANDOVER MEDAL CANDIDATES
JYE BOLTON (Claremont)
20 games, 542 possessions, 10 goals, 104 marks, 69 tackles, 41 free kicks
Games missed: 0
Times named in wafl.com.au Team of the Week: 8
Position in wafl.com.au Team of the Year: Interchange

COREY GAULT (Swan Districts)
20 games, 372 possessions, 11 goals, 109 marks, 500 hit outs
Games missed: 0
Times named in wafl.com.au Team of the Week: 9
Position in wafl.com.au Team of the Year: Ruck

KYAL HORSLEY (Subiaco)
16 games, 416 possessions, 15 goals, 45 marks, 78 tackles
Games missed: 4
Times named in wafl.com.au Team of the Week: 8
Position in wafl.com.au Team of the Year: Wing

CLINT JONES (Perth)
20 games, 658 possessions, 8 goals, 93 marks, 101 tackles, 26 free kicks
Games missed: 0
Times named in wafl.com.au Team of the Week: 7
Position in wafl.com.au Team of the Year: Interchange

TIM KELLY (South Fremantle)
20 games, 541 possessions, 22 goals, 87 marks, 70 tackles, 26 free kicks
Games missed: 0
Times named in wafl.com.au Team of the Week: 10
Position in wafl.com.au Team of the Year: Ruck rover

LEIGH KITCHIN (Subiaco)
20 games, 489 possessions, 12 goals, 82 marks, 74 tackles, 29 free kicks
Games missed: 0
Times named in wafl.com.au Team of the Week: 9
Position in wafl.com.au Team of the Year: Centre

SHANE NELSON (West Perth)
20 games, 664 possessions, 4 goals, 74 marks, 75 tackles, 28 free kicks
Games missed: 0
Times named in wafl.com.au Team of the Week: 9
Position in wafl.com.au Team of the Year: Rover 

RORY O'BRIEN (Peel Thunder)
20 games, 500 possessions, 8 goals, 91 marks, 103 tackles, 26 free kicks
Games missed: 0
Times named in wafl.com.au Team of the Week: 5
Position in wafl.com.au Team of the Year: Interchange

LIAM RYAN (Subiaco)
20 games, 274 possessions, 68 goals, 102 marks, 33 tackles
Games missed: 0
Times named in wafl.com.au Team of the Week: 10
Position in wafl.com.au Team of the Year: Forward pocket

HAIDEN SCHLOITHE (South Fremantle)
19 games, 541 possessions, 27 goals, 123 marks, 79 tackles, 27 free kicks
Games missed: 1
Times named in wafl.com.au Team of the Week: 9
Position in wafl.com.au Team of the Year: Half-forward flank