AFL Players’ MVP

Who better to select the game’s most valuable player than the players themselves? It’s no surprise that the AFL Players’ MVP honour roll includes the very best footballers of the modern era.

The first iteration of the MVP award was presented in 1973, while The Best Captain award was first presented in 1986, the Most Courageous Award in 1991 and the Best First Year Player in 1998.

Big or small, the MVP is open to any footballer who displays leadership, versatility, ability to play under pressure, skill and courage. Whilst their outstanding performances on the football field sees these players gain many accolades during their careers, the MVP stands alone for what it represents – the respect of their peers. With every player having the opportunity to vote, the winner is truly the players’ choice.

Forty-one years have passed since the first player-voted MVP Award was presented to Leigh Matthews in 1982 and renamed in his honour in 2002. In that time its prestige has grown enormously.

The Leigh Matthews Trophy winner is now celebrated in a dedicated event with a room full of colleagues, AFL greats and industry representatives. It’s truly the players’ night with the best captain, best first year player, most courageous and 22under22 team also revealed.

In 2022, the AFL Players partnered with the AFL and the AFL Coaches’ Association in an industry event to announce the AFLPA’s MVP Awards. Fremantle young star Andrew Brayshaw became the youngest winner of the Leigh Matthews Trophy since Nick Riewoldt in 2004.

Richmond tyro Liam Baker won the Robert Rose Most Courageous Award, while Collingwood’s Scott Pendlebury claimed Best Captain and teammate Nick Daicos streeted the field to win Best First Year.

Former Brisbane and Essendon player Tom Cutler was recognised with the Education and Training Excellence Award.

The voting process

Every AFL player is asked to nominate the three teammates they deem worthy of the Leigh Matthews Trophy. In stage two of the voting process, players are asked to select their MVP from the list featuring three nominees from every club. However, players can’t vote for their teammates in stage two. Players nominate just one teammate for the second round of voting for the Most Courageous and Best-First Year player awards. All captains are automatically nominated. Unlike the Brownlow Medal, players remain eligible for the awards even if suspended.

The Awards presented by the AFL Players’ Association are:

  • Leigh Matthews Trophy
  • Best Captain
  • Best First Year Player Award
  • Robert Rose Most Courageous Player Award
  • Education and Training Award
  • #22Under22 team
  • Grant Hattam Award for Journalism Excellence

AFLW Players’ MVP

The AFLW Players’ Most Valuable Player award was first presented in 2017 to coincide with the inaugural season of the national women’s competition and Adelaide Crows co-captain Erin Phillips was the recipient. The AFLW Most Courageous and AFLW Best Captain Awards were also introduced in 2017, but AFLW Best First Year player came in the second season of the competition. 

In 2022, there were two seasons held in one year. In Season 6, Brisbane’s Emily Bates was voted by her peers as the 2022 MVP. While in Season 7, Monique Conti became the youngest AFLW player (at 22) to win the award voted by her peers.

Adelaide’s Chelsea Randall claimed her fifth AFLW Players’ Most Courageous Award, while the Crows star also won the Best Captain Award. Richmond mature-age recruit Eilish Sheerin capped a wonderful first season at AFLW level, winning the Best First Year Player Award.

The voting process

Every AFL player is asked to nominate the three teammates they deem worthy of the AFLW MVP. In stage two of the voting process, players are asked to select their MVP from the list featuring three nominees from every club. However, players can’t vote for their teammates in stage two. Players nominate just one teammate for the second round of voting for the Most Courageous and Best-First Year player awards. All captains are automatically nominated. Unlike the Brownlow Medal, players remain eligible for the awards even if suspended.

The Awards presented by the AFL Players’ Association are:

  • AFLW Players’ Most Valuable Player Award
  • AFLW Players’ Best Captain award
  • AFLW Best First Year Player Award
  • AFLW Players’ Most Courageous Player Award
  • Education and Training Award
  • #22Under22 team

22UNDER22

22Under22 is a fan-voted concept that recognises the best 22 players aged 22 and under for the entirety of the season. The concept was first introduced in 2013 to reward the young players who make an impact on their club and the competition so early in their careers. After the major success of the male competition, the inaugural AFLW team was announced in 2020 to help celebrate the achievements of the best and brightest stars of the female competition.

How the voting works

  • The AFL Players’ Board selects a squad of 40 players
  • Fans then have the opportunity to decide the final 22 by voting on the AFLPA website
  • The fan whose team is the best match for the final team wins a prize
  • Players selected in the final team are presented with 22Under22 jumper

History

The 22Under22 concept was introduced in 2013 as a way to reward the young players across the competition who are able to have an impact on their side early in their careers. The AFLPA saw an opportunity to recognise this age bracket given there was a gap in the industry awards between the Rising Star and All-Australian selection. To launch the concept, the AFLPA revealed a retrospective team for 2012 to demonstrate the strength of the young talent across the competition. Unlike other AFLPA awards, it was decided that 22Under22 would have a fan-voted element to give footy fans some ownership of the concept. Since then, 22Under22 has grown to be widely recognised across the industry as a showcase of elite talent and selection is something eligible players strive for. 

AFL

2023 AFL 22Under22 team

2022 AFL 22under22 team

2021 AFL 22Under22 team

2020 AFL 22under22 team

2019 AFL 22Under22 team

2018 AFL 22Under22 team

2017 AFL 22Under22 team

2016 AFL 22Under22 team

2015 AFL 22Under22 team

2014 AFL 22Under22 team

2013 AFL 22Under22 team

2012 AFL 22Under22 team

AFLW

2023 AFLW 22Under22 team

Season 7 2022 AFLW 22under22 team

2022 AFLW 22under22 team

2021 AFLW 22Under22 team

2020 AFLW 22under22 team