AFLPA Awards

The Australian Football League Players' Association Awards are a group of awards given annually to players in the Australian Football League, voted for by all AFL players.

Main Awards

The AFLPA nominates the following four awards as their main awards.

Leigh Matthews Trophy

The Leigh Matthews Trophy has been awarded by the players to the best player of the season annually since 1982. It is the AFLPA equivalent of the Brownlow Medal (voted for by umpires), and a variety of media-sponsored MVP awards. Greg Williams (1985,1994), Wayne Carey (1995, 1998), Michael Voss (2002, 2003) and now Gary Ablett Jr. (2007,2008) are the only players to have won the award twice. Gary Ablett Jr. is the incumbent winner.

Best Captain

The Best Captain award has been given sporadically since 1986, and annually since 1998. Michael Voss won the award four times from 2001-2004, the most of any player. Jonathan Brown won the award in 2007, and Tom Harley was awarded Best Captain in 2008.

Robert Rose Award for Most Courageous Player

Awarded annually since 1991 to the most courageous player in the league. Glenn Archer has won the award most often with six wins, while Paul Kelly won it five times, including four consecutively from 1994-1997. Jonathan Brown won the award in 2007 and 2008.

Best First Year Player

Awarded annually since 1998, the Best First Year Player award is the AFLPA equivalent of the AFL Rising Star award (although Rising Stars may be in their second or third seasons if they have played sufficiently few games). Brownlow Medallists Adam Goodes and Chris Judd have both won the award in the past. Rhys Palmer won the award in 2008 after winning the NAB Rising Star award, Joel Selwood, also a NAB AFL Rising Star won the award in 2007, Marc Murphy in 2006 and Brett Deledio in 2005.

Other Awards

The following awards are also presented by the AFLPA.

Marn Grook Award

Named after the indigenous game Marn Grook, the award has been presented annually since 2001 to the top emerging indigenous player in the game, who must be within their first three seasons of AFL competition. Lance Franklin won the 2007 award.

Grant Hattam Trophy

The Grant Hattam Trophy has been awarded annually since 1999 to best football journalist, as voted by the players. The Herald Sun's Mark Robinson is the only man to have won the award twice (2000, 2002). Herald Sun's cheif football writer Mike Sheahan won the award in 2008 for his article on Simon Goodwin and his gambling addiction.

The Trophy was created in honor and memory of the late Grant Hattam who was a leading sports and media lawyer (with Corrs Chambers Westgarth).

Education and Training Excellence Award

Given annually since 2001 to the player who displayes the best all-round performance in balancing football with external education and training. Won in 2007 by Collingwood's Shane Wakelin and Adelaide Crows's Brett Burton.

Mike Fitzpatrick Scholarships

Awarded annually to young aspiring non-AFL players, attempting to help them balance external study and training with football training. Sixteen players were awarded the scholarships for 2007.

External links

* [http://www.aflpa.com.au/index.cfm?menuid=D2AFC260-B104-394F-AF6E474E85FA37F7|AFLPA Awards homepage]