In just his ninth AFL match, up and coming Sydney defender Nic Newman showed he’s got a bright future, playing a crucial role in the Swans’ come-from-behind victory against Richmond on Saturday.

The 24-year-old had 26 touches, four marks and seven tackles – including a match-saving effort in the closing stages of the game – to be the Swans’ leading vote getter in this year’s race for the AFL Coaches Association’s Champion Player of the Year Award.

Newman received six votes for his performance and is now averaging 23 disposals, five marks and four tackles a game.

Fellow defenders Jake Lloyd (four votes) and Zak Jones (two) also impressed for the visitors combining for 51 disposals while Isaac Heeney and Tom Papley received three votes each.

However, it was Richmond’s All-Australian defender Alex Rance who received top honours, picking up ten votes from the coaches for his lockdown role on Swans star Lance Franklin. Rance’s teammate Bachar Houli also received two votes.

West Coast’s Elliot Yeo leads the race at the halfway mark of the year on 57 votes, just ahead of Geelong skipper Joel Selwood (56) and Richmond’s Dustin Martin (53).

AFLCA Champion Player of the Year – Round 14
10 – Alex Rance
6 – Nic Newman
4 – Jake Lloyd
3 – Isaac Heeney
3 – Tom Papley
2 – Bachar Houli
2 – Zak Jones

2017 Leaderboard
57 – Elliot Yeo (West Coast)
56 – Joel Selwood (Geelong)
53 – Dustin Martin (Richmond)
53 – Rory Sloane (Adelaide)
52 – Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)
50 – Gary Ablett (Gold Coast)
46 – Clayton Oliver (Melbourne)
46 – Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood)
42 – Sebastian Ross (St Kilda)
41 – Josh Kelly (GWS)
41 – Zach Merrett (Essendon)