Shaun Mannagh's inspirational outing at ENGIE Stadium has earned him a perfect 10 coaches' votes in Round 18, after the star Cat nearly pulled his team over the line in a sensational individual performance. 

Eclipsing his previous career-high, Mannagh finished with 33 disposals which was just the second time amassing 30 disposals or more in his career, while also winning an equal team-high seven clearances. 

His strongest impact came in front of the big sticks, as the clever Cat kicked four goals against the Giants, his 11th game kicking three goals or more in only 52 career AFL appearances.  

Mannagh also did most of his damage in the second half when Geelong were under immense pressure, winning 22 disposals, four clearances and kicking two of his goals after half time. 

He now becomes just the third Cat to reach 30 coaches' votes this year, only trailing Max Holmes and Bailey Smith on Geelong's leaderboard in 2026. 

Ollie Dempsey was also recognised in the coaches' votes for his strong performance on Saturday, setting the game alight early with three goals in the opening quarter alone. 

The star winger went on to finish the game with 22 disposals and five inside 50s, but he also worked hard into defence and picked off seven intercept possessions, continuing to utilise his outstanding running capacity to impact the contest. 

The AFL Coaches Association’s Champion Player Award is an award voted by the 18 coaching panels on a 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 basis after each home and away game, acknowledging outstanding effort by an individual player in a season.

Round 18 Coaches' Votes | GWS Giants v Geelong Cats

Geelong Cats 2026 Coaches' Votes Leaderboard