Rowan Marshall has closed out the 2024 season as St Kilda's leading poller in the AFL Coaches' Association Champion Player of the Year Award, ending the season with 48 votes to his name as the numbers for the final two rounds were revealed at tonight's AFL Awards.
Marshall was pressed to the finish line late by reigning Best & Fairest Jack Sinclair, who polled eight votes in the final match of the season against Carlton, however the ruck's five from the previous outing against Geelong was enough for him to hold onto pole position.
The 28-year-old, inducted into St Kilda's leadership group for the first time ahead of this year's campaign, received votes in 10 of his 23 appearances for the season, in which he averaged an equal-career-best 26 hit-outs, 21 disposals and six clearances and gave immeasurable effort in willing his side forward on countless occasions.
Although not named in this year's All-Australian squad, Marshall's prolific campaign nevertheless reaffirmed his status as one of the league's most prominent ruckmen, which could see him claim a maiden Trevor Barker Award in a little over a month's time.
Skipper Jack Steele nudged Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera out of third place after earning six votes for his efforts in the Saints' come-from-behind win over Geelong in Round 23, while Liam Stocker and Zak Jones worked their way onto the leaderboard after earning a vote apiece in their performances against the Cats and Blues respectively.
Coaches' votes | Round 23
9 - Callum Wilkie (STK)
6 - Jack Steele (STK)
5 - Rowan Marshall (STK)
3 - Jack Bowes (GEEL)
3 - Lawson Humphries (GEEL)
2 - Darcy Wilson (STK)
1 - Liam Stocker (STK)
1 - Tom Stewart (GEEL)
Coaches' votes | Round 24
8 - Patrick Cripps (CARL)
8 - Jack Sinclair (STK)
8 - Sam Walsh (CARL)
2 - George Hewett (CARL)
2 - Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (STK)
1 - Nic Newman (CARL)
1 - Zak Jones (STK)
St Kilda AFLCA votes | Leaderboard
48 - Rowan Marshall
44 - Jack Sinclair
37 - Jack Steele
35 - Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera
24 - Callum Wilkie
19 - Josh Battle
15 - Bradley Hill
10 - Jack Higgins
10 - Mattaes Phillipou
10 - Cooper Sharman
10 - Darcy Wilson
9 - Tim Membrey
7 - Mason Wood
6 - Liam Henry
4 - Seb Ross
4 - Marcus Windhager
3 - Max King
1 - Anthony Caminiti
1 - Paddy Dow
1 - Zak Jones
1 - Liam Stocker