2021 AFL MVP

Zero Hanger MVP: Round 3 Votes

For the first time in 2021, our MVP leader is NOT Dustin Martin! Check out who polled on the weekend and the current leaderboard 🏅

Published by
Ben Cotton

Our Round 3 MVP votes are in!

Four members from our team - Ben Cotton (Chief Editor), Mitch Keating (Deputy Editor), Ed Lemmo (Digital Producer) and Nick Splitter (Digital Manager) will vote 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 for the best players on the ground for every match of the season.

RELATED: Zero Hanger Round 2 MVP votes

From there, the votes will be collated to decide the MVP, with a live leaderboard to be updated on the site.

Check out the votes below for Round 3 of the 2021 AFL season.

Brisbane vs. Collingwood

The Lions edged the Pies by one point in a Thursday-night thriller at Marvel Stadium as Hugh McCluggage (28 disposals, 118 AFL Fantasy, 88 SuperCoach) stepped up when the whips were cracking, while while Daniel Rich (28 disposals, eight rebound 50s, 113 AFL Fantasy, 122 SuperCoach) put in a masterful performance down back.

Brodie Grundy (28 disposals, 54 hitouts, 152 AFL Fantasy, 162 SuperCoach) was dominant all night in the ruck.

Ben Cotton: 5. B Grundy, 4. D Rich, 3. H McCluggage 2. J Lyons, 1. J Howe
Mitch Keating: 5. H McCluggage, 4. D Rich, 3. B Grundy, 2. J Lyons, 1. J Howe
Ed Lemmo: 5. H McCluggage, 4. B Grundy, 3. D Rich, 2. J Lyons, 1. I Quaynor
Nick Splitter: 5. B Grundy, 4. D Rich, 3. H McCluggage, 2. J Lyons, 1. J Howe

SEE ALSO: “They’re a midfielder short”: Did Collingwood trade the wrong player?

North Melbourne vs. Western Bulldogs

It was a Good Friday blood bath, with the Bulldogs smashing the Kangaroos by 128 points behind a 10-goal haul from Josh Bruce (152 AFL Fantasy, 172 SuperCoach).

It was another strong performance from the Doggies dominant midfield, notably Adam Treloar (27 disposals, three goals, 106 AFL Fantasy, 108 SuperCoach) Josh Dunkley (33 disposals 110 AFL Fantasy, 132 SuperCoach) and Jackson Macrae (33 disposals, 103 AFL Fantasy, 108 SuperCoach).

Ben Cotton: 5. J Bruce, 4. A Treloar, 3. J Dunkley, 2. J Macrae, 1. C Daniel
Mitch Keating: 5. J Bruce, 4. A Treloar, 3. J Dunkley, 2. J Macrae, 1. T English
Ed Lemmo: 5. J Bruce, 4. J Dunkley, 3. A Treloar, 2. B Smith, 1. C Daniel
Nick Splitter: 5. J Bruce, 4. J Dunkley, 3. A Treloar, 2. J Macrae, 1. J Ziebell

Adelaide vs. Gold Coast

Tex Walker's amazing resurgence continued strong (23 disposals, nine marks, six goals, 136 AFL Fantasy, 130 SuperCoach) as the Crows narrowly got past the Suns.

Rory Sloane played his best game for the season with 34 disposals and 11 clearances (115 AFL Fantasy, 141 SuperCoach).

Ben Cotton: 5. T Walker, 4. R Sloane, 3. H Greenwood, 2. R Laird, 1. B Ellis
Mitch Keating: 5. T Walker, 4. R Sloane, 3. R Laird, 2. H Greenwood, 1. B Smith
Ed Lemmo: 5. T Walker, 4. R Sloane, 3. P Seedsman, 2. B Ellis, 1. B Keays
Nick Splitter: 5. T Walker, 4. R Sloane, 3. H Greenwood, 2. B Keays, 1. B Ellis

Richmond vs. Sydney

The Swans shocked the Tigers at the MCG as the young Bloods shined once again.

Sam Wicks played arguably his best game for the club, tallying 21 disposals and 13 marks and booting three goals (124 AFL Fantasy, 114 SuperCoach).

Elsewhere, Callum Mills (31 disposals, 111 AFL Fantasy, 109 SuperCoach) and Jake Lloyd (29 disposals, 11 marks) found plenty of the footy.

Ben Cotton: 5. S Wicks, 4. C Mills, 3. J Lloyd, 2. T Papley, 1. C Warner
Mitch Keating: 5. Wicks, 4. C Mills, 3. C Warner, 2. T Papley, 1. O Florent
Ed Lemmo: 5. C Mills, 4. J Lloyd, 3. T Papley, 2. O Florent, 1. C Warner
Nick Splitter: 5. J Lloyd, 4. C Mills, 3. T Papley, 2. C Warner, 1. O Florent

Essendon vs. St Kilda

The Bombers stunned the Saints in the Saturday twilight clash to run out 75-point victors.

Darcy Parish finished with a career-high 34 disposals (117 AFL Fantasy, 112 SuperCoach) and scored a perfect 20 votes from our team.

Zach Merrett (34 disposals, 121 AFL Fantasy, 115 SuperCoach), Jordan Ridley (35 disposals, 10 marks, 124 AFL Fantasy, 147 SuperCoach) and Jake Stringer (four goals, 78 AFL Fantasy, 124 SuperCoach) were also busy for the Dons.

Ben Cotton: 5. D Parish, 4. J Ridley, 3. J Stringer, 2. Z Merrett, 1. J Steele
Mitch Keating: 5. D Parish, 4. J Ridley, 3. J Stringer, 2. Z Merrett, 1. C Hooker
Ed Lemmo: 5. D Parish, 4. Z Merrett, 3. J Ridley, 2. J Stringer, 1. C Hooker
Nick Splitter: 5. D Parish, 4. J Ridley, 3. Z Merrett, 2. J Stringer, 1. J Steele

SEE ALSO: Zero Hanger Team of the Week: Round 3

West Coast vs. Port Adelaide

The Eagles put Port Adelaide to the sword on Saturday night as Andrew Gaff returned to form with a season-high 36 disposals and 13 marks (154 AFL Fantasy, 128 SuperCoach).

Luke Shuey (28 disposals, 127 AFL Fantasy, 122 SuperCoach) also put in a stellar performance in his first game of the season but unfortunately suffered a hamstring setback, sidelining him for a few weeks.

Ben Cotton: 5. A Gaff, 4. L Shuey, 3. J Redden, 2. S Hurn, 1. J Kennedy
Mitch Keating: 5. L Shuey, 4. A Gaff, 3. S Hurn, 2. J Redden, 1. D Houston
Ed Lemmo: 5. A Gaff, 4. L Shuey, 3. T Kelly, 2. S. Hurn, 1. J Darling
Nick Splitter: 5. A Gaff, 4. S Hurn, 3. L Shuey, 2. O Wines, 1. N Naitanui

Carlton vs. Fremantle

The Blues got their first win on the board of 2021 behind a career-high seven goals from Harry McKay (137 AFL Fantasy, 145 SuperCoach). And the gun forward could have done even more damage if not for his inaccuracy in front of the big sticks, recording five behinds.

It was all out domination from Carlton in this one, with the likes of Patrick Cripps (34 disposals, 11 clearances, two goals, 125 AFL Fantasy, 100 SuperCoach), Sam Walsh (37 disposals, 116 AFL Fantasy, 124 SuperCoach) and Lachlan Fogarty (25 disposals, one goal, 120 AFL Fantasy, 163 SuperCoach) also having big games.

Ben Cotton: 5. H McKay, 4. P Cripps, 3. S Walsh, 2. L Fogarty, 1. L Jones
Mitch Keating: 5. H McKay, 4. P Cripps, 3. S Walsh, 2. L Fogarty, 1. L Jones
Ed Lemmo: 5. P Cripps, 4. H McKay, 3. S Walsh, 2. L Fogarty, 1. L Jones
Nick Splitter: 5. H McKay, 4. L Jones, 3. L Fogarty, 2. S Walsh, 1. P Cripps

GWS vs. Melbourne

The Demons were too good for the Giants at Manuka Oval on Sunday as Max Gawn came up big, recording 24 disposals, nine marks, 28 hitouts and booting two goals (135 AFL Fantasy, 163 SuperCoach).

Christian Petracca finished with 28 disposals (106 AFL Fantasy, 83 SuperCoach), while Tim Taranto battled hard all game for the winless Giants (127 AFL Fantasy, 114 SuperCoach).

Ben Cotton: 5. M Gawn, 4. T Taranto, 3. C Petracca, 2. E Langdon, 1. T Greene
Mitch Keating: 5. M Gawn, 4. E Langdon, 3. J Viney, 2. C Petracca, 1. K Pickett
Ed Lemmo: 5. C Petracca, 4. E Langdon, 3. M Gawn, 2. J Viney, 1. I Cumming
Nick Splitter: 5. M Gawn, 4. K Pickett, 3. T Greene, 2. E Langdon, 1. J Lever

Geelong vs. Hawthorn

Cameron Guthrie was everywhere for Geelong in this one, collecting a career-high 43 disposals to go with 11 marks (153 AFL Fantasy, 163 SuperCoach).

Changkuoth Jiath (23 disposals, 10 marks, 100 AFL Fantasy, 118 SuperCoach) impressed for the Hawks to poll strongly in our votes.

Ben Cotton: 5. C Guthrie, 4. C Jiath, 3. M Duncan, 2. J O'Meara, 1. T Stewart
Mitch Keating: 5. C Guthrie, 4. C Jiath, 3. M Duncan, 2. J O'Meara, 1. T Stewart
Ed Lemmo: 5. C Guthrie, 4. M Duncan, 3. J O'Meara, 2. T Stewart, 1. C Jiath
Nick Splitter: 5 C Guthrie, 4. T Stewart, 3. C Jiath, 2. M Duncan, 1. J O'Meara

SEE ALSO: “Shame on you”: Cats legend takes aim at Hawks fans over Smith boos

2021 ZERO HANGER MVP LEADERBOARD

RANK TEAM PLAYER VOTES
1 ADEL Taylor Walker 47
2 RICH Dustin Martin 40
3 MELB Clayton Oliver 37
4 WB Jack Macrae 37
5 SYD Callum Mills 35
6 SYD Errol Gulden 31
7 HAW Tom Mitchell 30
8 PORT Ollie Wines 30
9 GEEL Cameron Guthrie 28
10 PORT Travis Boak 27
Published by
Ben Cotton