PORT ADELAIDE ruckman Peter Ladhams has beaten teammate Charlie Dixon to win the Round 11 nomination for the Coates Hire AFL Goal of the Year.
Ladhams nailed his nominated goal in the first 90 seconds of the win over Richmond with a sublime checkside kick from what appeared an impossible angle for a left footer.
The 22-year-old had earlier assessed his options and, running away from goal, elected to bend the ball through to get his side up and running on the day.
Ladhams won 48% of the vote to easily win in the end over Dixon (26%) and Melbourne’s Kysaiah Pickett (26%).
Dixon’s effort was similarly from a tight angle deep in the pocket.
The 29-year-old snapped the ball around his body from hard up against the boundary line and from the narrowest of angles, and a position where it would be more likely to hook across the face of goal, the ball went through.
Ladhams is the third Port Adelaide player to win a nomination, behind Connor Rozee in Round 5 and Robbie Gray in Round 7.
They will all go into the running for the annual award, which will be announced at the Brownlow Medal count.
