Just days after picking up the fifth Best and Fairest award of his career, Gary Ablett is at short-priced odds to record a history-making fifth AFLPA MVP in Melbourne tomorrow night.
Now in its 31st year, the award remains the only football awards decided by those who know the game best – the players.
Joining Ablett as MVP nominees include much-improved defender Rory Thompson and AFL Rising Star Jaeger O’Meara.
Superstars Scott Pendlebury, Jarryd Roughhead, Joel Selwood and Patrick Dangerfield are also hot frontrunners to accept the Leigh Matthews Trophy.
In other awards, O’Meara aheadlines the list for Best First Year Player, while David Swallow is among 18 Club nominees vying for the Robert Rose Most Courageous Award.
Ablett, who is also in the hunt for Best Captain, is expected to receive plenty of fierce competition from Geelong’s Joel Selwood, Essendon’s Jobe Watson and Port Adelaide’s Travis Boak.
AFL Players’ CEO - Matt Finnis, said the AFLPA’s Awards night remained as important as ever.
“Amongst all of the various awards and accolades provided to players at this time of year; it’s really important the players themselves have a voice.”
“In any industry, you want the respect of your peers. AFL footballers are no different, and the Leigh Matthews Trophy is a great way players can recognise the efforts of those outside their own club.”
AFL Players’ Association President Luke Ball said that 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 because it reflects the respect a player has amongst his peers.
“As a player you strive for the respect of your peers, and unlike other awards the MVP is determined by the men who take to the field alongside you each week,” said Ball.
“Players get to see what occurs behind the scenes. From long nights on the track, to game day and the strategic work put into stopping an opposition player, so we are very well positioned to judge the Most Valuable Player in the league.
“The names that feature on the Leigh Matthews’ Trophy represent the very elite of the past 30 years, so to have your name etched alongside players you have grown up idolising would be an incredible honour for any player.”
Awards presented on the night include:
- The Leigh Matthews Trophy
- The inaugural 22under22 Award as selected by the fans
- Education and Training Excellence Award, presented by La Trobe Sport
- Best Captain, presented by L’Oreal Men Expert
- Best First Year Player, presented by Be the Influence
- The Robert Rose Most Courageous Award, presented by Fire Ready Victoria
- Grant Hattam Trophy for Excellence in Sports Journalism, presented by Kelly Hazell Quill Lawyers
THE VOTING PROCESS:
The MVP voting is a two stage process, beginning with each player voting for the three teammates he considers to have been the most valuable this season. Each club’ votes are then tallied to form a nomination list comprising 54 players across the 18 teams.
Then, in the second round of voting, all AFL players vote for their MVP on a 3, 2, 1 basis from amongst the nominees from all 17 other clubs. The votes are tallied, and the player with the highest score wins the honour of MVP.
The 2013 Be The Influence AFL Players’ MVP Award Winners will be announced on Tuesday 10 September at Peninsula, Shed 14 Central Pier, Docklands and will be broadcast exclusively on Fox Footy Channel at 9.30pm.
