Most Valuable Player Awards (MVP)

 

Held annually on the second Monday in finals, the Most Valuable Player awards are the only accolades determined by players themselves.  The AFL Players’ Association Most Valuable Player award has been in existence in its current form since 1982 and is named in honour the of playing and coaching great voted Most Valuable Player of all time, Leigh Matthews,

The Leigh Matthews trophy for Most Valuable Player is awarded to the player acknowledged by his peers to have displayed leadership, versatility, ability to play under pressure, skill and courage, respect for all players and overall value to a team.

Apart from the Most Valuable Player award, the evening also includes:

• The Robert Rose Most Courageous Player Award for the player deemed by his peers to be most selfless, committed and fiercely loyal; 
• The Best Captain Award determined by a peer vote for any captain other than their own;
• The Best First Year Player Award was introduced in 1999 to recognise the difficulties first-year players must overcome;
• The Education and Training Excellence Award for the player who has managed to excel in the combination of further education and their AFL careers; and,
• The Grant Hattam Trophy awarded for excellence in football journalism to the creator of the best piece of football journalism from the players' perspective.  The Grant Hattam Trophy was also introduced in 1999.

 

Voting for the Most Valuable Player, Most Courageous Player, Best Captain and Best First Year Player happens in two stages.  During the first stage, usually during Round 19, all players are sent nomination forms to the players through their club delegates.

Each player must nominate the players from their own club they believe are the Best First Year, Most Courageous and Most Valuable Player. These votes are then collated and the players with the most number of votes become that club’s nominee in the overall awards.

The second stage of voting occurs after Round 21, when all players are sent the final voting form comprising 16 nominees for Best First Year, 16 nominees for Most Courageous, 16 nominees for Best Captain and 32 nominees for Most Valuable Player (two per club). Players cannot vote for their team mates at this stage of the voting – these names are removed from each club’s voting forms.

In the second stage of voting, players must vote for one player in each category. The votes are then returned to the AFL Players’ Association and counted. The player with the most number of votes in each category is then declared the winner.

WINNERS OF THE LEIGH MATTHEWS TROPHY FOR MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

2011  Chris Judd
2010  Dane Swan
2009  Gary Ablett, Jr.
2008  Gary Ablett, Jr.
2007  Gary Ablett, Jr.
2006  Chris Judd
2005  Ben Cousins
2004  Nick Riewoldt
2003  Michael Voss
2002  Luke Darcy / Michael Voss
2001  Andrew McLeod
2000  Anthony Koutoufides
1999  Shane Crawford
1998  Wayne Carey
1997  Robert Harvey
1996  Corey McKernan
1995  Wayne Carey
1994  Greg Williams
1993  Gary Ablett, Sr.
1992  Jason Dunstall
1991  Jim Stynes
1990  Darren Millane
1989  Tim Watson
1988  Gerard Healy
1987  Tony Lockett
1986  Paul Roos
1985  Greg Williams
1984  Russell Greene
1983  Terry Daniher
1982  Leigh Matthews

 

Madden Medal

 

The Madden Medal, first awarded by the AFL Players’ Association in 2007, celebrates the outstanding on and off-field achievements of AFL players over the course of their careers.

Named in honour of the contributions of two former premiership players and AFL Players’ Presidents, Simon and Justin Madden, the Madden Medal recognises a departing player who has demonstrated on-field excellence, off-field football achievements, personal growth, and community spirit over his career.

Four awards in total are presented including:

• The Football Achievement Award
• The Personal Development Award
• The Community Spirit Award

These three awards culminate in the Madden Medal.

The Madden Medal selection committee consists of the AFL Players’ Association Executive.

Madden Medal Award winners

2011 Cameron Ling
2010 Brett Kirk
2009 Michael O’Loughlin
2008 Robert Harvey
2007 Glenn Archer