Fans blow up over Mark of the Year award and turn on Hawthorn’s Nick Watson

Electrifying Hawthorn small forward Nick Watson has capped of a stunning season by claiming the AFL’s Mark of the Year award.

Watson’s big fly in the wet in a game against West Coast was given the nod ahead of two towering marks, one from Fremantle’s Shai Bolton and another from Melbourne’s Kysaiah Pickett.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Check out the MOTY contenders and you decide

For his efforts, the 21-year-old ‘Wizard’ claimed a $50,000 prize and two million Velocity Points from Virgin Australia ... but it all didn’t sit well with fans.

Watson’s mark certainly required a high degree of skill, leaping on the back of Liam Baker and taking the ball on his chest.

But it was dubious whether the mark was better than Pickett’s effort in Round 7 against Richmond, or indeed Bolton’s Round 15 effort against the Cats.

As for the fans, well, they were raging, as fans like to do.

“A CHEST MARK IS MARK OF THE YEAR,” blasted Flawless Sports, with the addition of countless laughing emojis.

And another: “Absolutely no way was that better than at least 5 or 6 of the others! Did he get points for being small or because it was wet?”

At 170cm, Watson is one of the shortest players in the competition. In the live commentary when he took the mark, star caller Brian Taylor said, “one little man over another.”

“Worst MOTY in my 50 years of watching football,” another fan said.

While another raged: “Kozzy robbed. Out in the hands > taking it on the chest in wet conditions.”

Others believed there were better marks that weren’t even considered.

“The worst thing that the AFL has done tonight is award MOTY half way through the count and then show about 19 better marks in the clips of the rest of the rounds!!🙄” a fan said.

And another: “How ON EARTH did this win? It was third best by far. Probably a lot lower than third on the season as a whole. Is this a sympathy vote for his team losing the PF fair and square?”

The Hawthorn sympathy theory had a bit of momentum too.

“Clearly felt bad about the Hawks losing to some correct umpiring decisions so this is the make up. Laughable choice 😂.” a fan said.

Watson’s mark was voted the winner by the AFL’s All-Australian panel.

Brisbane’s Conor McKenna won Goal of the Year thanks to his Gaelic football skills.

McKenna won the award with a sensational soccer goal against Collingwood, which had an uncanny similarity to the one he kicked against Hawthorn in the pulsating preliminary final on Saturday.

Asked what he would do with the money, McKenna said: “If my wife (Amy) asks it’s probably for the house but if I get my way I’ll buy a horse probably ...we’ll see how we go.”