The most improved award at Essendon goes to a player who has demonstrated a commitment to excellence. They must have shown clear improvement from previous seasons and a willingness to go above and beyond.
The 2016 Crichton Medal is on the 31st of August! Make sure you book your tickets today.
Marty Gleeson:
Gleeson has continued his development as a crucial part of Essendon’s back six. After a slow start to the season, the 21-year old has only gotten stronger as the year has progressed. He provides valuable run off the half-back line and consistently helps move the ball forward. Gleeson currently leads the Bombers for Rebound 50s and has worked hard to improve his disposal efficiency and marking.
Key Stats – 2016:
Age – 21
Avg. Disposals – 17.7 (13.9 in 2015)
Avg. Disposal Efficiency- 80.4% (Ranked 4th at Club for 2016 – 77.5% in 2015)
Rebound 50s – 66 (Ranked 1st at Club for 2016)
Avg. Rebound 50s- 3.5 (2.2 in 2015)
Avg. Marks – 5.4 (Ranked 9th at Club for 2016 – 3.8 in 2015)
Conor McKenna:
After making his debut late last year in the forward line, McKenna spent the early part of the season refining his game with Essendon VFL. Here, he was given time in a variety of positions before finding his place playing off the half-back line. The position suited his natural game and encouraged his athletic ability. The Irishman is a natural with the ball in hand, and it is often easy to forget that he is only in his second year of playing the game. McKenna has definitely benefitted from not only the shift down back, but also his most consistent run of games so far in his career.
Key Stats – 2016:
Age – 20
Games Played – 11 (2 in 2015)
Avg. Disposals – 13.5 (11 in 2015)
Avg. Disposal Efficiency – 76% (72.7% in 2015)
Goals – 3
Patty Ambrose:
Another one of our players to make the shift down to the backline, Ambrose’s development in 2016 has been well documented. Ambrose’s natural athleticism and hardness at the ball has seen him cause massive headaches for his direct opponents. Even though it is early days for Ambrose as a defender, he has an ever-growing list of players whose impact he has been able to nullify.
Key Stats – 2016:
Age – 24
Games Played – 17 (16 in 2015)
Avg. Disposals – 11.9
Avg. Disposal Efficiency – 77.8% (73% in 2015)
Avg. Rebound 50s – 2.6 (0.7 in 2015)
Avg. Intercept Poss – 3.8 (1.7 in 2015)
Orazio Fantasia:
The speedster from South Australia has enjoyed the benefits of his first full pre-season in 2016 and has become one of Essendon’s most potent small forwards in recent seasons. His blistering pace is both an asset on the attack, but also as a defensive forward when putting pressure on the opposition. Fantasia’s improvement did not go unnoticed by the wider AFL community, as he picked up his second NAB Rising Star nomination in round 17.
Key Stats – 2016:
Age – 20
Games Played – 19 (5 in 2015)
Avg. Disposals – 14.8
Avg. Contested Possessions – 5.7 (3.6 in 2015)
Avg. Score Involvements -4.8 (2.8 in 2015)
Avg. Tackles – 3.8 (3.6 in 2015)
Goals – 29 (Second at Essendon – 2 in 2015)
