A record-breaking sixth AFLPA Award could await Gold Coast superstar, Gary Ablett.
It would be yet another feather in Ablett’s already full cap, with the two-time Brownlow medallist the only player in the game’s history to claim the Leigh Matthews Trophy on five occasions. Only Greg Williams, Wayne Carey, Michael Voss and Chris Judd’s dual victories come close. Joining Ablett as
There are two other GC SUNS nominated for the award in the form of Ablett’s midfield partners Dion Prestia and David Swallow.
This year’s list of nominees includes AFL stars Nat Fyfe, Josh Kennedy, Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin, Joel Selwood and Patrick Dangerfield.
For a second year in a row, Swallow is also in the mix for the Robert Rose Most Courageous Award.
In other awards, first-year defender Sean Lemmens is among 18 club nominees vying for the best first year player award, while Ablett also remains in the hunt for best captain.
Now in its 32nd year, the award is more important than ever, according to AFL Players’ CEO Paul Marsh.
“The prestige of the MVP award continues to grow, because of the incredible calibre of past winners and the fact it remains the only peer-voted award in the AFL industry,” Marsh said.
“It’s really important the players themselves have a voice. Previous winners have shown it is an award than can be won by a player in any position. From power forwards like Ablett Snr, Lockett and Carey, to ruckmen including the great Jim Stynes, through to the brilliant Leigh Matthews, whom the award is named after.
“We often hear players who have won the award claim it to be their highest individual achievement.”
AFL Players’ Association President Luke Ball said while the award continues to grow in stature publicly, it has always been considered one of the highest honours in the game amongst the playing group.
“In any industry, you want the respect of your peers. AFL footballers are no different, and as a player you strive for the respect of those you play against each week,” Ball said.
“The Leigh Matthews Trophy is a great way for players to recognise the efforts of those outside their own club.
“The names that feature on the Leigh Matthews’ Trophy represent the very elite of the past 31 years, so to have your name etched alongside players you have grown up idolising, such as Wayne Carey, Robert Harvey, Shane Crawford, Gary Ablett Snr, Tony Lockett and Paul Roos would be an incredible honour for any player.”
Full list of nominees
Leigh Matthews Trophy nominees
DANGERFIELD, Patrick (Adelaide)
SMITH, Brodie (Adelaide)
THOMPSON, Scott (Adelaide)
HANLEY, Pearce (Brisbane)
MARTIN, Stefan (Brisbane)
ROCKLIFF, Tom (Brisbane)
GIBBS, Bryce (Carlton)
MURPHY, Marc (Carlton)
YARRAN, Christopher (Carlton)
BEAMS, Dayne (Collingwood)
PENDLEBURY, Scott (Collingwood)
SIDEBOTTOM, Steele (Collingwood)
GODDARD, Brendon (Essendon)
HEPPELL, Dyson (Essendon)
HOOKER, Cale (Essendon)
BALLANTYNE, Hayden (Fremantle)
FYFE, Nathan (Fremantle)
SANDILANDS, Aaron (Fremantle)
HAWKINS, Tom (Geelong)
SELWOOD, Joel (Geelong)
TAYLOR, Harry (Geelong)
ABLETT, Gary (Gold Coast)
PRESTIA, Dion (Gold Coast)
SWALLOW, David (Gold Coast)
MUMFORD, Shane (Greater Western Sydney)
TRELOAR, Adam (Greater Western Sydney)
WARD, Callan (Greater Western Sydney)
BRUEST, Luke (Hawthorn)
GUNSTON, Jack (Hawthorn)
LEWIS, Jordan (Hawthorn)
DUNN, Lynden (Melbourne)
JONES, Nathan (Melbourne)
TYSON, Dom (Melbourne)
CUNNINGTON, Ben (North Melbourne)
GREENWOOD, Levi (North Melbourne)
HARVEY, Brent (North Melbourne)
BOAK, Travis (Port Adelaide)
GRAY, Robert (Port Adelaide)
SCHULZ, Jay (Port Adelaide)
COTCHIN, Trent (Richmond)
MARTIN, Dustin (Richmond)
RANCE, Alex (Richmond)
DELANEY, Luke (St Kilda)
HAYES, Lenny (St Kilda)
RIEWOLDT, Nick (St Kilda)
FRANKLIN, Lance (Sydney)
KENNEDY, Josh (Sydney)
PARKER, Luke (Sydney)
DAHLHAUS, Luke (Western Bulldogs)
LIBERATORE, Thomas (Western Bulldogs)
MURPHY, Robert (Western Bulldogs)
KENNEDY, Josh J (West Coast)
MACKENZIE, Eric (West Coast)
PRIDDIS, Matt (West Coast)
The Robert Rose Most Courageous Award, presented by Cancer Council Victoria
SLOAN, Rory (Adelaide)
PATFUL, Joel (Brisbane)
SIMPSON, Kade (Carlton)
MAXWELL, Nick (Collingwood)
AMBROSE, Patrick (Essendon)
SPURR, Lee (Fremantle)
SELWOOD, Joel (Geelong)
SWALLOW, David (Gold Coast)
WARD, Callan (Greater Western Sydney)
HODGE, Luke (Hawthorn)
CROSS, Daniel (Melbourne)
GREENWOOD, Levi (North Melbourne)
LOGAN, Tom (Port Adelaide)
RANCE, Alex (Richmond)
DEMPSTER, Sean (St Kilda)
McGLYNN, Ben (Sydney)
MORRIS, Dale (Western Bulldogs)
PRIDDIS, Matt (West Coast)
Best First Year Player
CROUCH, Matt (Adelaide)
TAYLOR, Lewis (Brisbane)
JOHNSON, Blaine (Carlton)
LANGDON, Tom (Collingwood)
MERRETT, Zach (Essendon)
APERNESS, Michael (Fremantle)
LANG, Darcy (Geelong)
LEMMENS, Sean (Gold Coast)
KELLY, Josh (Greater Western Sydney)
HARTUNG, Billy (Hawthorn)
KENNEDY-HARRIS, Jay (Melbourne)
MCDONALD, Luke (North Melbourne)
IMPEY, Jarman (Port Adelaide)
LLOYD, Sam (Richmond)
DUNSTAN, Luke (St Kilda)
JONES, Zac (Sydney)
BONTEMPELLI, Marcus (Western Bulldogs)
SHEED, Dom (West Coast)
Best Captain, presented by L’Oreal Men Expert
VAN BERLO, Nathan (Adelaide)
ADCOCK, Jed (Brisbane)
MURPHY, Marc (Carlton)
PENDLEBURY, Scott (Collingwood)
WATSON, Jobe (Essendon)
PAVLICH, Matthew (Fremantle)
SELWOOD, Joel (Geelong)
ABLETT, Gary (Gold Coast)
DAVIS, Phil (Greater Western Sydney)
WARD, Callan (Greater Western Sydney)
HODGE, Luke (Hawthorn)
GRIMES, Jack (Melbourne)
JONES, Nathan (Melbourne)
SWALLOW, Andrew (North Melbourne)
BOAK, Travis (Port Adelaide)
COTCHIN, Trent (Richmond)
RIEWOLDT, Nick (St Kilda)
JACK, Kieren (Sydney)
McVEIGH, Jarrad (Sydney)
GRIFFEN, Ryan (Western Bulldogs)
GLASS, Darren (West Coast Eagles)
