AFL Players Association awards
The AFL Players Association awards are a group of awards given annually to players in the Australian Football League, voted for by all AFL players.
Main awards
The AFLPA nominates the following four awards as their main awards.
Leigh Matthews Trophy
The Leigh Matthews Trophy has been awarded by the players to the best player of the season annually since 1982. It is the AFLPA equivalent of the Brownlow Medal (voted for by umpires), and a variety of media-sponsored MVP awards. Gary Ablett, Jr. (2007–09, 2012–13) is the only player to win the award five times. Greg Williams (1985, 1994), Wayne Carey (1995, 1998), Michael Voss (2002, 2003), Chris Judd (2006, 2011) and Nat Fyfe (2014, 2015) have won the award twice.
Best Captain
The Best Captain award was given sporadically from 1986 until 1997, and has been given annually since 1998. Michael Voss won the award four times from 2001–2004, the most of any player.
Winners
| Year | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Michael Tuck | Hawthorn |
| 1987 | Stephen Kernahan | Carlton |
| 1988 | Ross Glendinning | West Coast |
| 1990 | Tony Shaw | Collingwood |
| 1992 | Paul Roos | Fitzroy |
| 1994 | Stephen Kernahan | Carlton |
| 1995 | Wayne Carey | North Melbourne |
| 1998 | Wayne Carey | North Melbourne |
| 1999 | Paul Kelly | Sydney |
| 2000 | Wayne Carey | Kangaroos |
| 2001 | Michael Voss | Brisbane Lions |
| 2002 | Michael Voss | Brisbane Lions |
| 2003 | Michael Voss | Brisbane Lions |
| 2004 | Michael Voss | Brisbane Lions |
| 2005 | Mark Ricciuto | Adelaide |
| 2006 | Mark Ricciuto | Adelaide |
| 2007 | Jonathan Brown | Brisbane Lions |
| 2008 | Tom Harley | Geelong |
| 2009 | Jonathan Brown | Brisbane Lions |
| 2010 | Brett Kirk | Sydney |
| 2011 | Chris Judd | Carlton |
| 2012 | Jobe Watson | Essendon |
| 2013 | Joel Selwood | Geelong |
| 2014 | Luke Hodge | Hawthorn |
| 2015 | Robert Murphy | Western Bulldogs |
| 2016 | Taylor Walker | Adelaide |
| 2017 | Taylor Walker | Adelaide |
| 2018 | Trent Cotchin | Richmond |
| 2019 | Shannon Hurn | West Coast |
Robert Rose Award for Most Courageous Player
Awarded annually since 1991 to the most courageous player in the league. Glenn Archer has won the award most often with six wins, while Paul Kelly won it five times, including four consecutively from 1994–1997. Jonathan Brown won the award in 2007, 2008 and 2011. In 2009, Joel Selwood won the award for the first time, and then won it three consecutive times from 2012–2014.
Winners
| Year | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Gavin Brown | Collingwood |
| 1992 | Gavin Brown | Collingwood |
| 1993 | Gavin Wanganeen | Essendon |
| 1994 | Paul Kelly | Sydney |
| 1995 | Paul Kelly | Sydney |
| 1996 | Paul Kelly | Sydney |
| 1997 | Paul Kelly | Sydney |
| 1998 | Glenn Archer | Kangaroos |
| 1999 | Glenn Archer | Kangaroos |
| 2000 | Paul Kelly | Sydney |
| 2001 | Michael Voss | Brisbane Lions |
| 2002 | Glenn Archer | Kangaroos |
| 2003 | Glenn Archer | Kangaroos |
| 2004 | David Teague | Carlton |
| 2005 | Glenn Archer | Kangaroos |
| 2006 | Glenn Archer | Kangaroos |
| Brett Kirk | Sydney | |
| 2007 | Jonathan Brown | Brisbane Lions |
| 2008 | Jonathan Brown | Brisbane Lions |
| 2009 | Joel Selwood | Geelong |
| 2010 | Luke Hodge | Hawthorn |
| 2011 | Jonathan Brown | Brisbane Lions |
| 2012 | Joel Selwood | Geelong |
| Beau Waters | West Coast | |
| 2013 | Joel Selwood | Geelong |
| 2014 | Joel Selwood | Geelong |
| 2015 | Luke Parker | Sydney |
| 2016 | Luke Parker | Sydney |
| 2017 | Rory Sloane | Adelaide |
| 2018 | Callan Ward | Greater Western Sydney |
| 2019 | Dylan Grimes | Richmond |
Best First Year Player
Awarded annually since 1998, the Best First Year Player award is awarded to the best adjudged player who is in his first year on an AFL list.[1] The eligibility for the award is different to the AFL's other main award for the best performing young player, the AFL Rising Star, which can be won by any player aged under 21 as of 1 January that year, and who has not played more than ten matches before the start of the season.[2] Michael Barlow, for example, won the award in 2010 but was not eligible for the Rising Star. Brownlow Medallists Adam Goodes and Chris Judd have both won the award in the past.
Winners
| Year | Player[3] | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Nick Stevens | Port Adelaide |
| 1999 | Adam Goodes | Sydney |
| 2000 | Paul Hasleby | Fremantle |
| 2001 | Daniel Kerr | West Coast |
| 2002 | Chris Judd | West Coast |
| 2003 | Daniel Wells | Kangaroos |
| 2004 | Aaron Davey | Melbourne |
| 2005 | Brett Deledio | Richmond |
| 2006 | Marc Murphy | Carlton |
| 2007 | Joel Selwood | Geelong |
| 2008 | Rhys Palmer | Fremantle |
| 2009 | Daniel Rich | Brisbane Lions |
| 2010 | Michael Barlow | Fremantle |
| 2011 | Dyson Heppell | Essendon |
| 2012 | Jeremy Cameron | Greater Western Sydney |
| 2013 | Jaeger O'Meara | Gold Coast |
| 2014 | Marcus Bontempelli | Western Bulldogs |
| 2015 | Isaac Heeney | Sydney |
| 2016 | Callum Mills | Sydney |
| 2017 | Andrew McGrath | Essendon |
| 2018 | Tim Kelly | Geelong |
| 2019 | Sam Walsh | Carlton |
Other awards
The following awards are also currently or have previously been presented by the AFLPA.
Marn Grook Award
Named after the indigenous game Marn Grook, the award was presented annually from 2001 to 2007 for the top emerging Indigenous player in the game, who must be within their first three seasons of AFL competition.
Winners
| Year | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Adam Goodes | Sydney |
| Dean Rioli[4] | Essendon | |
| 2002 | Leon Davis | Collingwood |
| 2003 | Graham Johncock | Adelaide |
| 2004 | Daniel Wells | Kangaroos |
| 2005 | Aaron Davey | Melbourne |
| 2006 | Danyle Pearce | Port Adelaide |
| 2007 | Lance Franklin | Hawthorn |
Grant Hattam Trophy
The Grant Hattam Trophy has been awarded annually since 1999 to the best football journalist, as voted by the players. The Herald Sun's Mark Robinson (2000, 2002) and The Age's Emma Quayle (2009,[5] 2012[6]) are only journalists to have won the award twice. Herald Sun chief football writer Mike Sheahan won the award in 2008 for his article on Simon Goodwin and his gambling addiction.[7]
The Trophy was created in honour and memory of the late Grant Hattam who was a leading sports and media lawyer (with Corrs Chambers Westgarth).
Education and Training Excellence Award
Given annually since 2001 to the player who displays the best all-round performance in balancing football with external education and training.
| Year | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Paul Licuria | Collingwood |
| 2002 | Peter Bell | Fremantle |
| 2003 | Simon Garlick | Western Bulldogs |
| 2004 | Michael Wilson | Port Adelaide |
| 2005 | James Clement | Collingwood |
| 2006 | Josh Mahoney | Port Adelaide |
| 2007[8] | Brett Burton | Adelaide |
| Shane Wakelin | Collingwood | |
| 2008[9] | Jason Blake | St Kilda |
| 2009[10] | Max Hudghton | St Kilda |
| 2010[11] | Tim Callan | Western Bulldogs |
| 2011[12] | Henry Slattery | Essendon |
| 2012[13] | Alan Toovey | Collingwood |
| 2013[14] | Matthew Boyd | Western Bulldogs |
| 2014[15] | Jonathon Griffin | Fremantle |
| 2015[16] | Mike Pyke | Sydney |
| 2016[17] | Jamie Macmillan | North Melbourne |
| 2017[18] | Ed Curnow | Carlton |
| 2018[19] | David Mundy | Fremantle |
Mike Fitzpatrick Scholarships
Awarded annually to young aspiring non-AFL players, attempting to help them balance external study and training with football training.
References
- ^ "Who is the AFL's best young gun?". AFLplayers.com.au. 26 June 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
- ^ "Who is eligible for the NAB AFL Rising Star award?". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
- ^ AFL Players' Association - Rhys Palmer wins Best First Year Player Archived January 6, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Rioli wins inaugural Marn Grook Award - essendonfc.com.au". essendonfc.com.au. 11 September 2001. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ "Age footy writer takes award". The Age. Melbourne. 8 September 2009.
- ^ "Age football writer gets award". 12 September 2012.
- ^ Ralph, Jon (9 September 2008). "Gary Ablett gets the nod".
- ^ "Ablett wins another award for Geelong". The Age. 29 September 2007. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ Hogg, Alistair (9 September 2008). "Blake honoured with AFLPA award - saints.com.au". saints.com.au. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ Williams, Rebecca (8 September 2009). "Joel Selwood lauded for his bravery". Herald Sun. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ "Kirk recognised by peers - sydneyswans.com.au". sydneyswans.com.au. 7 September 2010. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ "Heppell and Slattery win AFLPA Awards". essendonfc.com.au. 13 September 2011. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ "Cameron voted AFLPA Best First Year Player - GWSGIANTS.com.au". gwsgiants.com.au. 12 September 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ "Boyd wins Education award at AFLPA MVP - westernbulldogs.com.au". westernbulldogs.com.au. 11 September 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ Phelan, Jennifer (9 September 2014). "AFLPA awards: Nat Fyfe rated best by his peers - AFL.com.au". afl.com.au. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ "Swans clean up at AFLPA Awards - sydneyswans.com.au". sydneyswans.com.au. 16 September 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ Legg, Simon (13 September 2016). "Macmillan Finds His Work-Life Balance". AFLPA. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ "Forth & Curnow maximising their chance". AFLPA. 12 September 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ "Studious Mundy wins AFLPA award - fremantlefc.com.au". fremantlefc.com.au. 30 August 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2018.