Although his team was on the receiving end of an 88-point drubbing last Saturday, star Richmond key defender Alex Rance still managed to poll the equal most votes in the AFL Players Association’s Player of the Year award for Round 19.

Rance further enhanced his reputation with a colossal display in the face of overwhelming odds against a slick Greater Western Sydney outfit at Canberra’s StarTrack Oval.

The reigning Jack Dyer Medallist and dual All-Australian stood out like a beacon for Richmond with his outstanding efforts across the team’s backline.

He was awarded eight votes from respective coaches Damien Hardwick (Richmond) and Leon Cameron (GWS) after finishing the match with a personal, equal season-high 26 disposals, including 14 contested possessions, five rebound-50s, and took nine marks, including five contested grabs.

But the most significant statistic, which exemplified Rance’s excellence throughout the four quarters, was in the category of intercept possessions.

Rance had an incredible 17 intercept possessions, which is the second most recorded by any player in the competition this season, and the sixth highest ever.

Full voting details for the Round 19 Richmond v Greater Western Sydney match are . . .

8 – Alex Rance (Richmond)
8 – Tom Scully (GWS)
6 – Stephen Coniglio (GWS)
4 – Shane Mumford (GWS)
2 – Steve Johnson (GWS)
2 – Heath Shaw (GWS)