approached him with an offer to move clubs, but McLeod chose to stay with Adelaide. 1998 Having caught the eye of football followers with his magical feats in the 1997 finals, McLeod would continue to dazzle crowds with his pace and agility in 1998 before being named in the All-Australian team for the first time in his career despite only playing 15 games due to injury. He would also get 10 Brownlow Medal votes in 1998 after only 1 vote in 1997. In a preliminary final rematch against the Bulldogs, McLeod would kick a career-high seven goals while being opposed to Tony Liberatore, who was reputed to be the most ferocious tagger in the game at the time. In the following game—against Grand Final favourites, the Kangaroos—the Crows would win by 35 points, with McLeod emulating his feats from a year earlier. Gathering 30 disposals and winning back-to-back Norm Smith Medals, McLeod became the first player to win two Norm Smith Medals since Gary Ayres in 1986 and 1988. 1999 Adelaide would not match the success of the two previous seasons in 1999 and would finish 13th; however, McLeod continued on progressing as one of Adelaide's young stars, gathering 7 Brownlow votes. Playing under Gary Ayres (2000–2004) 2000 McLeod had an outstanding season in 2000, playing most of the season in the midfield. He averaged 24 disposals per game, an increase from 18 in 1999, and kicked 28 goals. He made the All-Australian team as a half-forward, narrowly finished second in Adelaide's Best and Fairest to Simon Goodwin, and polled 20 Brownlow Medal votes, finishing third behind Shane Woewodin and runner-up Scott West. 2001 McLeod had perhaps the finest season of his career in 2001, controversially being named runner-up in the Brownlow Medal Count. Having been made a permanent fixture in the Crows midfield by coach Gary Ayres, McLeod averaged a career-best 24.7 disposals. He would win the Leigh Matthews Trophy to be recognised as the Most Valuable Player in the league, according to a vote by his peers in the AFL Players Association, as well as his second best-and-fairest award from the club. McLeod, however, would be denied the AFL's greatest individual honour in the 2001 Brownlow Medal. The Crows had arranged for McLeod's father Jock to come to the Brownlow count without his knowledge as a surprise for if McLeod won. Trailing by two votes in the last