Sandover Medal PreviewMonday, September 17, 2018 - 2:19 PM - by Chris Pike

WHILE Subiaco captain Kyal Horsley and West Perth star Shane Nelson head into the Sandover Medal count for 2018 as warm favourites, a host of players are in contention to take out WA football's most prestigious individual honour. 

The 2018 Sandover Medal count will be held at Optus Stadium on Monday night for the first time and will be broadcast live by 91.3 SportFM.

It should be a thrilling count with long-time standout WAFL players like Horsley, Nelson, Chris Phelan and Clint Jones trying to breakthrough for a Sandover Medal while the likes of Claremont pair Jye Bolton and Kane Mitchell, West Perth's Aaron Black and South Fremantle's Haiden Schloithe could become two-time winners.

Then there are players such as Subiaco's Lachlan Delahunty, East Fremantle's George Hampson, East Perth's Luke Partington and Patrick McGinnity, Peel Thunder's Danyle Pearce, and South Fremantle's Marlion Pickett and Shane Hockey who can't be discounted from being in the running.

It's hard to ignore Horsley and Nelson as the two favourites heading into the night for the seasons they have had. Given the careers both have had too, it's remarkable to think 2018 has likely been their best seasons.

Having already won three premierships and two fairest and best awards among his decorated career now spanning 181 matches for Subiaco, Horsley has gone to another level with his undefeated team in 2018.

He averaged 31.5 possessions this season including 40 or more three times, and 30 or more another seven times so he's going to be hard to beat in the Sandover Medal vote count.

If anyone can, though, it will be Nelson. For someone to already be a triple fairest and best winner and premiership player but go on and improve to have a career-best season is quite the feat, and that's exactly the case with the West Perth ball magnet in 2018. 

With 138 games now under his belt, he's right at the peak of his powers and delivered a remarkable season made up of 676 possessions at an average of 37.6 a game. 

He was named to the Team of the Round in 13 of his 18 appearances while racking up 40 or more touches six times, 30 or more another 10 times and never finishing with fewer than 26.

But it's far from a two horse race. Horsley's Subiaco teammate Delahunty has been remarkable. The arrival this year of Zac Clarke has freed him up to spend more time playing forward where he can be a marking target inside-50, lead-up centre half-forward and also backup in the ruck. 

He finished the season averaging 24.2 possessions and 7.1 marks while also kicking 30 goals.

Danyle Pearce had a prolific season with the Thunder averaging 29.6 disposals in 16 matches while Claremont's two former winners Bolton and Mitchell were superb too and it wouldn’t surprise if they won the Sandover Medal for a second time.

West Perth captain Aaron Black is well positioned to provide some inside into a potential winner. He won the Sandover Medal in 2014, is teammate to Nelson and has played against everyone else so it's an opinion worth taking note of.

"I guess as the season wears on there are certain sides with players who stand out and numbers play a massive factor on a player winning individual awards with how many wins a side has and it's definitely a midfielder's award," Black said.

"The guys who standout each week who get their hands on the ball enough and win enough games of footy, you can generally pick one or two guys from those teams who have had quality years to be considered. 

"In terms of people who I think are in with a chance this year, firstly Shane has had an amazing year in terms of numbers and you imagine he will be around somewhere. Jye Bolton and Kane Mitchell from Claremont have had really good years and impact their side quite heavily. 

"There are the obvious ones from Subi but they are such a quality unit that there are so many guys in there each week playing week. I actually think their big guys have had outstanding years in Clarke and Delahunty. 

"Delahunty is almost like a midfielder for them in the fact he picks up mid-20s and kicks a couple of goals so I wouldn’t be surprised if either of them are up there, but Delahunty more so. 

"I actually think it's a wide open race and obviously a lot of the media have picked Kyal to win it, but at the end of the day it's what the umpires see and sometimes you manage to be an outsider and win one."

Looking at the team by team chances, Bolton and Mitchell look to be the most likely top vote winners at Claremont but Jared Hardisty and Haydn Busher could have attracted plenty of attention too.

Hampson should be the leading vote winner for East Fremantle with Cameron Eardley, Jonathon Marsh and Jordan Snadden capable of reaching double-figures.

East Perth's charge looks set to be led by Partington and McGinnity, but Brayden Ainsworth averaged 25.2 possessions in his 13 appearances while Sharrod Wellingham had a strong first half of 2018 and Francis Watson could have racked up some votes.

Perth skipper Clint Jones had another tremendously consistently season averaging 28.6 disposals so he can't be counted out while Brant Colledge could be right in the mix too having averaged 26.4 disposals and having an especially strong second half of 2018.

Danyle Pearce is a real chance of claiming the Sandover Medal for his 16 games at Peel Thunder while unable to add to his 258 AFL appearances. Former Essendon hard man Ben Howlett could poll well too after strong season on return to Peel.

South Fremantle provided the top two place getters in 2017 and Schloithe could very well poll well again this year while Shane Hockey, Jacob Dragovich, Nick Suban and of course, Marlion Pickett, should be near the pointy end of the leaderboard.

Subiaco won all 18 matches for 2018 and there should be plenty of votes to go the Lions way. While Horsley, Phelan and Delahunty appear the three standouts, Leigh Kitchin, Zac Clarke and Hayden Kennedy are among the others who deserve plenty of recognition for their seasons.

It's tough to see a Swan Districts player polling enough votes to win but Jesse Turner and Tobe Watson could lead their tally by the end of the night of those eligible.

As well as the prospects of Nelson and Black from West Perth, Andrew Strijk, Luke Meadows and Blake Wilhelm all deserve to poll well also.

As always there will be players who will poll well including Subiaco's Josh Deluca, South Fremantle's Brandon Donaldson, East Fremantle's Jayden Schofield, Perth's Cody Leggett, Michael Sinclair, Corey Yeo and Cody Ninyette, and Swan Districts' Rhys Palmer and Matt Riggio.

TOP 10 SANDOVER MEDAL CANDIDATES
JYE BOLTON (Claremont)
18 games, 557 possessions, 8 goals, 93 marks, 66 tackles
Games missed: 0
Times named in TABtouch Team of the Round: 8
Position in TABtouch Team of the Year: Centre

KANE MITCHELL (Claremont)
16 games, 453 possessions, 4 goals, 80 marks, 99 tackles
Games missed: 2
Times named in TABtouch Team of the Round: 7
Position in TABtouch Team of the Year: Interchange

DANYLE PEARCE (Peel Thunder)
16 games, 474 possessions, 5 goals, 69 marks, 48 tackles
Games missed: 2
Times named in TABtouch Team of the Round: 8
Position in TABtouch Team of the Year: Interchange

BRANT COLLEDGE (Perth)
17 games, 449 possessions, 13 goals, 92 marks, 66 tackles
Games missed: 1
Times named in TABtouch Team of the Round: 7
Position in TABtouch Team of the Year: Half-forward flank

MARLION PICKETT (South Fremantle)
17 games, 370 possessions, 6 goals, 75 marks, 80 tackles
Games missed: 1
Times named in TABtouch Team of the Round: 6
Position in TABtouch Team of the Year: Interchange

LACHLAN DELAHUNTY (Subiaco)
18 games, 436 possessions, 30 goals, 127 marks, 40 tackles, 202 hit outs
Games missed: 0
Times named in TABtouch Team of the Round: 13
Position in TABtouch Team of the Year: Centre half-forward

KYAL HORSLEY (Subiaco)
18 games, 567 possessions, 11 goals, 74 marks, 72 tackles
Games missed: 0
Times named in TABtouch Team of the Round: 12
Position in TABtouch Team of the Year: Ruck-rover

CHRIS PHELAN (Subiaco)
16 games, 450 possessions, 7 goals, 49 marks, 59 tackles
Games missed: 2
Times named in TABtouch Team of the Round: 8
Position in TABtouch Team of the Year: Wing

AARON BLACK (West Perth)
18 games, 562 possessions, 5 goals, 130 marks, 116 tackles
Games missed: 0
Times named in TABtouch Team of the Round: 9
Position in TABtouch Team of the Year: Wing

SHANE NELSON (West Perth)
18 games, 676 possessions, 2 goals, 74 marks, 59 tackles
Games missed: 0
Times named in TABtouch Team of the Round: 13
Position in TABtouch Team of the Year: Rover