Chris Judd receives Leigh Matthews Trophy for Most Valuable Player

2 Oct 2006 - Jason Murnane

Judd was awarded The Leigh Matthews Trophy for Most Valuable Player Friday the 29th of September at the AFL Players' Association's gala MVP Awards at Melbourne's Park Hyatt.

Judd was selected as the competition's Most Valuable Player by 181 fellow players, ahead of Sydney's Adam Goodes on 73 votes, followed by Adelaide's Simon Goodwin (49) and West Coast's Daniel Kerr (47). 

The Leigh Matthews Trophy for Most Valuable Player, sponsored by Medibank Private, recognises versatility, ability to play under pressure, skill, courage, leadership, respect for all players & value to a team.  To vote, players initially nominate players from their own club for each award.  Players then vote for the player, (not from their own club), they believe should win each Award. 

Since 1982, the Leigh Matthews Trophy and Brownlow Medal have been won by different players 18 times.  

Over 600 AFL players voted in this years MVP awards.

Judd's season stats were characteristically impressive with the Eagles captain racking up 567 disposals, 319 kicks and 61 marks.  Judd was also the AFL's number one winner of contested possessions per game, signifying the great influence he has on the game. 

In other awards, AFL players couldn't split Kangaroo Glenn Archer and Sydney Swan Brett Kirk for the coveted Robert Rose Most Courageous Player Award, sponsored by Pacific Internet. Both players were selected as the competition's Most Courageous by 101 fellow players.  Glenn Archer received the Most Courageous Award for a record sixth time, surpassing five time Most Courageous winner and former Swan Paul Kelly.

Adelaide Captain Mark Ricciuto received the nod from fellow players for the second year in a row as the AFL's Best Captain, sponsored by Integrated Group, ahead of 06 MVP Chris Judd and Collingwood Captain and AFLPA Vice-President Nathan Buckley.   

The impressive debut season of Carlton's Marc Murphy was recognised after he received the Best First Year Player Award, sponsored by PKF Chartered Accountants & Business Advisors.  AFL players saw enough in Marc's 13 sparkling games for the Blues for the onballer to win the award, ahead of a strong field of first-year players, including Collingwood's Dale Thomas and Melbourne's Clint Bartram. 

Port Adelaide's Danyle Pearce's brilliant year was recognised by receiving the Marn Grook Award for best emerging Indigenous Player, sponsored by Qantas, joining past recipients Aaron Davey, Daniel Wells, Graham Johncock, Leon Davis and Dean Rioli.

Port Adelaide's Josh Mahoney received the Education and Training Excellence Award, sponsored by Drake Training.

Over his time in the AFL, Josh has completed a Bachelor of Science at La Trobe University, a Graduate Certificate in Marketing at the University of South Australia and is currently completing a Masters in Marketing, also at the University of South Australia.  In between hitting the books, Josh also played in Port Adelaide's 2004 Premiership side.

Jason Bennett of Fox Footy's Headliners was awarded the Grant Hattam Trophy for football journalism - sponsored by Corrs, Chambers Westgarth lawyers.  Bennett's compelling "Peter Crimmins story" featured never before heard tape of the former Hawthorn Captain discussing his team mates just after being told he was to be left out of the Hawk's '74 Grand Final side due to illness.  On the eve of the '74 finals series Crimmins became ill with cancer & fought a brave but unsuccessful bid for a place in the '75 Grand Final side & sadly passed away four days after Hawthorn's '76 Premiership.      

The following stories also received honourable mentions from the Grant Hattam Award judges:

Mike Sheahan (Herald Sun) for his story "New Dawn" dealing with former player Wayne Schwass' battle with and emergence from depression.

Sam Lane (Sunday Age) for story her "The Road to Respect" regarding Hawthorn player Danny Jacob's efforts to put his body on the line to prove his character.

Ashley Porter (The AGE) for his story "Loneliness of a long distance draftee" dealing with the special challenges faced by young AFL players moving interstate to pursue their sporing careers.
 
To read a copy of the keynote MVP speech by AFL Players' Association President Peter Bell, click here.