It’s lonely at the top, and Collingwood’s Josh Daicos has been there just about all season long.
The 2022 runner-up has gone one better in 2023, leading the Mongrel’s Wingman of the Year Award from Round Two onwards (Isaac Smith got a bit of a jumpstart in Round One).
However, over the past several rounds, one man has been making his way through the list of potential contenders to firmly establish himself as a very legitimate threat to pinch the title and relegate Daicos to a second successive second-place finish.
That man is named Errol Gulden.
Recognition for the specialised role of the wingmen has been scant in the AFL for the last five years. The last genuine wingman to make the All-Australian team was Andrew Gaff and that was back in 2018. Since then, despite some very impressive seasons from players like Hugh McCluggage, Paul Seedsman, and last year’s Mongrel Punt Wingman of the Year Award, Karl Amon have failed to attract the attention of the AFL decision makers, as they have attempted to pack as many inside mids as they can into the annual team of the year.
So, a few years back, I decided to do something a little different and institute an award that tracked the wingmen each and every game throughout the season. The winners of the first three seasons are listed below.
2020 – Sam Menegola
2021 – Paul Seedsman
2022 – Karl Amon
So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at the leaders in the 2023 Mongrel Punt Wingman of the Year Award after Round 21
Oh, what the hell? A Mongrel paywall? Yep, I believe my work is worth twenty cents per day. If you don’t, that’s fine. Want to join us and access the members’ game reviews, as well as columns like the Wingman of the Year, Recruit of the Year, and other nonsensical stuff HB comes up with each week?
