David King and Gerard Whateley have rewatched the 2023 AFL Grand Final and handed out their Norm Smith Medal votes on a 3-2-1 quarter-by-quarter basis.
Collingwood small forward Bobby Hill took home the medal for his dominant four-goal, 18-disposal performance and received the maximum votes from the five-person Norm Smith panel on the day.
While King and Whateley were in agreeance that Hill was a deserved winner for his overall impact, doing votes on a quarter-by-quarter basis can offer some interesting results.
Check out the duo’s comments and votes for each quarter below.
Q1 – Coll 4.4 (28) v Bris 3.0 (18)
King’s votes
3 - Keidean Coleman (BRI)
2 – Zac Bailey (BRI)
1 – Nick Daicos (COL)
“I gave the three to Coleman because I thought 13 disposals and three intercepts, he was the one that you didn't really want to have the ball from a Collingwood perspective. I liked his game,” King said on SEN Mornings.
“I gave two to Bailey. I thought that his moments were just unbelievable from limited opportunities. They went inside 50 seven times and he was able to knock through two goals.
“It's a big start to the Grand Final when they needed a bit of a lift.
“In the end, I gave the one to Daicos. He kicked a goal and I thought he was the fire starter for them. They needed to get the crowd involved. He kicked the first goal, and they were away. You could feel it.
“Josh Dunkley was stiff not to get one and Tom Mitchell and Scott Pendlebury were also very good.”
Whateley’s votes
3 – Keidean Coleman (BRI)
2 – Zac Bailey (BRI)
1 – Bobby Hill (COL)
“I had three Coleman,” Whateley added.
“Two to Bailey.
“I gave the one to Hill. I thought that you could see what was coming with Bobby Hill.”
Q2 – Coll 5.5 (35) v Bris 6.3 (39)
HT score Coll (63) v Bris (57)
King’s votes
3 – Bobby Hill (COL)
2 – Tom Mitchell (COL)
1 – Hugh McCluggage (BRI)
“Second quarter clearly Bobby was best on ground, I can only give him three. I want to give him six votes for this quarter. It was amazing.
“I thought Mitchell was really significant in this term, he was starting to have an impact - seven disposals, two clearances, four score involvements.
“McCluggage even though he let Jeremy Howe go through the corridor (before the Hill screamer), he still had a big impact on this game. 10 disposals, four of which become scores. He was big.”
Whateley’s votes
3 – Bobby Hill (COL)
2 – Nick Daicos (COL)
1 – Joe Daniher (BRI)
“I had three Hill.
“I had two Nick Daicos in that quarter.
“One for Daniher as he starts to loom.”
Q3 – Coll 1.6 (11) v Bris 2.2 (14)
3QT score Coll (75) v Bris (71)
King’s votes
3 – Jack Crisp (COL)
2 – Joe Daniher (BRI)
1 – Tom Mitchell (COL)
“(Jack Crisp had) nine disposals, three intercepts, two scoring involvements. I thought he had a magnificent game, and it gets reflected with the three for me.
“Daniher, even though he only had the four touches, I thought everything he did turned to gold, and he was one that looked like really swinging this game.
“I've recognised Mitchell in there as well. I just think what he does is hard to always recognise live. But on reflection four disposals, a couple of contested possessions in there and three score involvements. They scored seven times, he’s involved in three of them.”
Whateley’s votes
3 – Jack Crisp (COL)
2 – Hugh McCluggage (BRI)
1 – Tom Mitchell (COL)
“I had three Crisp.
“Two to McCluggage.
“One to Mitchell, it was a hand-to-hand combat in the midfield a lot of this term.”
Q4 – Coll 2.3 (15) v 2.3 (15)
Full-time score Coll (90) v Bris (86)
King’s votes
3 – Scott Pendlebury (COL)
2 – Jordan De Goey (COL)
1 – Jack Crisp (COL)
“I gave three to Pendlebury.
“I thought he was huge in this term, 11 disposals and just his know-how where to be, right time, right decision and to able to slow the game down when they needed it to.
“De Goey had a couple of moments, he almost gets two just on that centre bounce goal.
“I thought Crisp again was just terrific. He had eight disposals and three intercepts.
“Honourable mention to Steele Sidebottom who was super as well.”
Whateley’s votes
3 – Scott Pendlebury (COL)
2 – Nick Daicos (COL)
1 – Harris Andrews (BRI)
“I gave three to Pendlebury.
“I gave the two to Nick Daicos, so flipped with De Goey.
“I gave one to Andrews. I thought he finally found a way to insert himself.”
King’s top five:
4 – Jack Crisp (COL)
3 – Keidean Coleman (BRI)
3 – Scott Pendlebury (COL)
3 – Bobby Hill (COL)
3 – Tom Mitchell (COL)
Whateley’s top five:
4 – Bobby Hill (COL)
4 – Nick Daicos (COL)
3 – Keidean Coleman (BRI)
3 – Jack Crisp (COL)
3 – Scott Pendlebury (COL)
Overall top 5:
7 – Bobby Hill (COL)
7 – Jack Crisp (COL)
6 – Keidean Coleman (BRI)
6 – Scott Pendlebury (COL)
5 – Nick Daicos (COL)