What are these Awards?

The playing group votes for the main awards, which are the Most Valuable Player, the Best Captain, the Most Courageous Player and the Best First Year Player.

As there is no greater honour than respect from your peers, these player awards are steadily gaining the recognition and prestige they deserve.

This players’ night is an opportunity to celebrate the season and recognise players’ achievements during the season. AFLPA initiatives are also highlighted.

The Leigh Matthews trophy

Winners of the MVP take home the Leigh Matthews trophy, named after the league’s first MVP, Hawthorn champion Leigh Matthews, in 1982.  In 2002, AFL players voted to name their prestigious peer based award after the player they considered the most valuable of all time, Leigh Matthews.

Since it was first awarded, the MVP has been won by true champions of the competition. Versatility, ability to play under pressure, skill and courage, respect for all players, overall value to a team and leadership, are all qualities found in the MVP.

In July of 2005, the AFL Players' Association held a gala retrospective Most Valuable Player function to present retrospective Leigh Matthews Trophies to those players voted as the Most Valuable Player during the years 1982 to 2002. 

AFLPA MVP's Greg Williams, Corey McKernan, Anthony Koutoufides, Leigh Matthews, Wayne Carey, Tim Watson, host Clinton Grybas, Russell Greene, Shane Crawford, Robert Harvey, Paul Roos and Terry Daniher

This is the players’ award – determined by their votes.

Voting procedure

The voting process for the Most Valuable Player, Most Courageous Player, Best Captain and Best First Year Player is a two stage process.

At the end of each season (approximately Round 19) all players are sent nomination forms 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.

After Round 21, all players are sent the final voting form which comprises 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.

Players must vote for one player in each category. The votes are then returned to the AFLPA and counted. The player with the most number of votes in each category is then declared the winner.

For more information about the awards, contact us.