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Brayshaw’s best earns AFLPA MVP of the Month nomination

After the first six rounds of the AFL season, there have been a number of noteworthy performances. But these players separated themselves from the rest through their consistency and overall impact on the games in which they’ve played. Andrew Brayshaw, Patrick Cripps and Isaac Heeney have been nominated for the AFLPA’s MVP of the Month award, proudly presented by Snaffle.

Isaac Heeney

The Swans knew they had something special the day that Isaac Heeney walked through the door, and with his first injury-free pre-season under his belt, the number five draft pick is showing exactly that.

Solidifying himself as one of the game’s electric forwards over the past few years, Heeney has thrived throughout the 2022 season thus far, averaging 19 disposals, nine contested possessions, three goals, seven score involvements and seven tackles each week.

His season-best came in the form of a five-goal haul against the Cats in Round 2, to accompany 21 touches, 11 contested possessions and seven score involvements.

The numbers speak for themselves, with Heeney a key reason that the Swans sit inside the top four with six rounds down.

Patrick Cripps

Blues fans will be relishing in the start their team has had to the 2022 season, with the form of skipper Patrick Cripps playing a vital hand in their top eight standing.

Cripps sits second on the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year leaderboard, having received three perfect tens thus far – the latest coming in the Blues’ Round 6 clash with the Dockers, where he totalled 32 disposals, eight clearances, 19 contested possessions (both game highs), seven score involvements and three consecutive goals.

It’s hard to split the opening two rounds of the season to find Cripps’ best performance. Against the Tigers in Round 1 he tallied 30 disposals (11 contested), eight clearances and three goals; while Round 2 resulted in a 35 disposal performance (with an enormous 23 of those contested) alongside 11 clearances and another two goals.

The Carlton co-captain has stood up when his team have needed him most, with his ability to hit the scoreboard adding another layer to his relentless inside game.

Andrew Brayshaw

Only one player has earned votes for the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year in every single match of the season so far and that player is Andrew Brayshaw.

Brayshaw’s consistency sees him sit atop the leaderboard after six rounds, with another stellar performance as Fremantle’s leading disposal-getter against Carlton with 27, while also registering game-high numbers in tackles (eight), score involvements (nine) and pressure acts (33).

Averaging 30 disposals, 10 contested possessions, eight score involvements, six tackles and nearly 500 metres gained, the Dockers are sitting pretty in second place and Brayshaw is a big reason why.