Albury co-coach Shaun Daly has given a fascinating insight into the professional mindset of former AFL star Daniel Cross.
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The Border Mail interviewed 50 players this week on a variety of topics, including the best player.
Cross finished with 15 votes, but there’s every chance he would have picked up more, paying the price, if you like, of playing only every second game, due to his running commitments with AFL club, Melbourne.
Tigers’ team-mate Josh Mellington was second on eight with yet another former AFL player in Mark Whiley snaring seven.
“He’s great mate, honestly, we’re so lucky, I can’t speak highly enough of him,” Daly said when informed of Cross’s convincing win from his peers.
“He reads into the opposition players and we speak three of four days before the game on who we’re playing and what the match-ups are.
“He’s interested in everything we’re doing and who we’re playing, like some ex-AFL players might just rock up and play, but he’s interested in the club and what’s going on both on and off the field.
“So to see someone like that, who’s that interested in the footy that you’re playing, even though he’s done what he’s done, we’re very, very lucky to have him.”
The 34-year-old played 249 games with the Bulldogs and Melbourne, retiring at the end of 2015.
But he joined Albury where his father, Peter, was a star.
He played a pivotal role in the Tigers’ charge to an undefeated premiership, winning the Did Simpson Medal in the grand final win over Lavington.
However, Melbourne’s surge this year could prove a stumbling block to his hopes of playing all the finals.
The Demons are in the hunt for the top eight, so, naturally, Cross’s work will take precedence.
“I won’t know what my commitments are until the finals really,” Cross said.
“I’m certainly keeping an eye on how it might play out.”
It’s impossible to overlook just how impressive Cross’s weekend achievements are.
He could potentially rack up around 15 kilometres running at Melbourne during a game, and then clock up another double-figure effort with the Tigers, sometimes less than 24 hours later.
But as much as the league has loved having the enormously popular Cross back in the O and M, it’s fair to say Albury’s finals opponents will be cheering for the Demons.
There’s no doubt the Tigers’ hopes will take a hit if Cross is unavailable during finals, although they would still start a red-hot favourite.
Cross has spoken previously of expanding university and commitments with the Demons, so while his opponents will be happy to see the back of him, fans should savour an O and M great.
