Swans hail Priddis AFL Brownlow win

Sydney’s Josh Kennedy can joke about his coach possibly cruelling his Brownlow Medal hopes, but both he and another highly placed Swan, Lance Franklin, have called Matt Priddis a deserved winner.

Forward Franklin finished joint second with Gary Ablett, four points behind West Coast’s Priddis, while midfielder Kennedy was a further point back in joint fourth with Patrick Dangerfield and Travis Boak.

Sydney coach John Longmire opted to keep Kennedy out of Sydney’s last two games due to a minor hamstring complaint, ending his streak of 127 successive games.

Kennedy felt he could have played in at least one of those matches.

Asked if he had knocked on Longmire’s door following the result Kennedy quipped: “Yeah, I had a real word to him last night after the count.

“No, no, (I didn’t). I don’t think it would have made a difference to be honest.

“I was obviously pretty close towards the end, but Matty Priddis was a well deserved winner and I’m glad that he won outright and was on top in the end.

“He’s obviously a very humble guy and I’m very happy for him.”

Priddis played all 22 of the Eagles games.

Franklin missed three games, but wasn’t about to indulge in what ifs, pointing out Ablett sat out the last seven rounds.

While Priddis’s win was considered a shock in some circles, Franklin expressed no surprise.

“He’s been a tremendous player all season,” Franklin said.

“I think he was number one in contested ball wins and on clearances too, so he’s an unbelievable player.

“I think probably just because he lives in Perth you don’t hear too much about him but he’s been super all season and (his Medal win is) well deserved.”

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