Marcus Bontempelli closes gap on Nick Daicos after perfect 10 in Round 18

Marcus Bontempelli earned a perfect 10 votes in Round 18, lifting his season total to 88 and cutting Nick Daicos’ lead in the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year race to just 18 points. The Western Bulldogs captain delivered a commanding performance in his side’s win, matching five other players who received the maximum score from coaches on 18 Jun.

On 18 Jun, Marcus Bontempelli was one of five players awarded a flawless 10 votes by the opposing coaches in their respective matches. His effort came as the Western Bulldogs defeated their opponent, though the specific score wasn’t detailed in the source. The other perfect 10s went to Murphy Reid (Fremantle), Will Ashcroft, Jacob van Rooyen, and Shaun Mannagh.

Bontempelli’s 88 votes now place him firmly in second spot behind Nick Daicos, who sits at 106 after collecting three votes in Collingwood’s win over North Melbourne. This is the closest Bontempelli has been to Daicos all season. With seven rounds remaining, the gap is narrow enough to make the final standings a genuine battle: especially if Bontempelli continues delivering elite performances.

The AFLCA Champion Player of the Year award is decided solely on votes from senior coaches each week, with 10 points available per game. Bontempelli must maintain his form through the final stretch, as Daicos remains the clear favourite. But with five perfect 10s already this season, Bontempelli has shown he can outshine anyone on any given Saturday.

Callum Wilkie and Rowan Marshall both earned eight votes for St Kilda, while Blake Hardwick and Lloyd Meek did the same for Hawthorn. Jordan Dawson led Adelaide’s effort with eight votes against Gold Coast. Josh Daicos collected seven for Collingwood, and Murphy Reid’s breakout performance earned him his first 10-vote game.

Each week, the two senior coaches from every match award votes on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis to the best five players. A perfect 10 means both coaches picked the player as their top performer. No player has yet hit 100 votes this season, making the final rounds critical for anyone chasing the award.