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CARLTON midfielder Patrick Cripps has been voted the best emerging player in the competition, with 27.5 per cent of fans voting for the 21-year-old, ahead of young Swan Isaac Heeney (21.63 per cent).

Western Bulldogs midfielder Marcus Bontempelli (15.33 per cent) and young Melbourne forward Jesse Hogan (10.82 per cent) also featured prominently in this category, one of 45 questions in a survey conducted for AFL.com.au and the AFL Record.

The 21-year-old Cripps became the second-youngest Carlton best and fairest winner last year and was runner-up to Hogan in the NAB AFL Rising Star award.

More than 46 per cent of the almost 25,000 fans who voted rated four-time Hawthorn premiership coach Alastair Clarkson the best in the business, with support also for Carlton's Brendon Bolton (12.37 per cent) and Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge (9.15 per cent).

Nearly three-quarters of respondents said coaches received too much blame for their teams' poor performances. Almost 50 per cent of fans said the coach was the most important person at a club, ahead of the recruiting manager (23.26 per cent).



