Explosive Essendon forward Gary Moorcroft has taken out the 2001 AFL Mark of the Year for his enormous grab against the Western Bulldogs in round 14. Moorcroft's mark was officially crowned the best of the year at last night's All Australian Dinner. A modest Moorcroft told the Bomberland website this morning that he believed it must have been a tight decision with between his mark and the mark Collingwood's Chris Tarrant took against Carlton in round 11. ""Tarrant's mark was very good so it must have been a tough decision,"" Moorcroft said.

""Russell Robertson also took a very good mark in the Melbourne / Western Bulldogs match last weekend,"" Moorcroft said. But it was the Bomber who got the nod and he received the keys to a $50,000 VW Passat for his efforts.

""It was obviously a big thrill but I still think it is something I will appreciate more when I have finished playing,"" Moorcroft said. ""It is nice to win this award but winning things as a team is more rewarding and that is what I am focussing on at the moment.""

Moorcroft has one more match of a two-match suspension to serve. The timing of the suspension couldn't have been worse for Moorcroft whose previous two performances in the VFL team would almost certainly have seen him recalled to the senior line-up.

""Obviously I was really disappointed but there is no point worrying about something I can't change,"" Moorcroft said. ""I'll just have to train very hard over the next couple of weeks and give myself every chance of being selected.""