Nick Daicos has etched his name into Collingwood history by winning a second-consecutive AFL Players’ Most Valuable Player Award.
The Magpies superstar has now become the club’s first multiple MVP recipient, overtaking club champions Darren Millane, Dane Swan and Bri Davey, who each have an MVP trophy to their name.
Daicos also joins an exclusive club of multiple MVP winners, which includes Greg Williams (1985, 1994), Michael Voss (2002, 2003), Chris Judd (2006, 2011), Gary Ablett Jr. (2007-09, 2012 and 2013), Nat Fyfe (2014, 2015), and Marcus Bontempelli (2021, 2023 and 2024). At 23, Daicos is the youngest player to receive two Leigh Matthews Trophies.
In Daicos’ five-year career, he has now won two Most Valuable Player Awards, as well as two top five placings, and a Best First-Year Player Award.
The Collingwood star has dominated the midfield this year, leading the competition with an average of 35 disposals, as well as kicking 24 goals and ranking in the top three players for inside 50s in his 22 matches this season.
Daicos was presented with the Leigh Matthews Trophy by the award’s namesake at the industry-wide AFL Awards on Tuesday night, after he was voted by his peers ahead of three-time winner Marcus Bontempelli and Adelaide’s Jordan Dawson, who placed second and third, respectively.
Daicos spoke to the honour of winning the award in back-to-back years.
“It’s incredibly special to be recognised by the people I play both with and against.
“There’s so much talent in our game and I see first-hand the work we all put in every single week to get better, so I want to thank my teammates and coaches who help enable me to be the player I am.
“This award has a storied history, with some of the greats of our game being past winners, so to be honoured as the players’ MVP is truly humbling.”
In his second year as skipper, Dawson was voted Best Captain, presented by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, for the second time.
Placing ahead of Melbourne’s Max Gawn and Fremantle’s Alex Pearce, Dawson joins two-time Crows Best Captains Mark Ricciuto (2005, 2006) and Taylor Walker (2016, 2017).
Dawson also received the Robert Rose Most Courageous Award, presented by Tackle Your Feelings, for the immense courage he has shown on and off the field in 2026.
Capping an impressive debut season, young Carlton defender Harry Dean took out the Best First-Year Award, presented by P3 Recovery. Dean, the third pick in last year’s national draft, edged out the 2025 number one pick Willem Duursma, as well as Demon Joel Fitzgerald for the title.
Earlier, Geelong’s Gryan Miers was selected as the winner of the Education and Training Excellence Award, presented by Torrens University Australia. Miers was recognised for his ongoing commitment to studies and development alongside his playing career.
Journalist Sarah Burt was also presented with the Grant Hattam Award for Outstanding Journalism from the Players’ Perspective, for her piece published in the AFL Record honouring the memory of GWS Giant Jacinda Barclay.
WINNERS
Leigh Matthews Trophy for the Most Valuable Player
- Nick Daicos
- Marcus Bontempelli
- Jordan Dawson
Best Captain, presented by Chartered Accountants ANZ
- Jordan Dawson
- Max Gawn
- Alex Pearce
Best First-Year Award, presented by P3 Recovery
- Harry Dean
- Willem Duursma
- Joel Fitzgerald
Robert Rose Most Courageous Award, presented by Tackle Your Feelings
- Jordan Dawson
- Zak Butters
- Brayden Maynard
CLICK HERE FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL AFLPA MVP PAST WINNERS
MVP Voting Process
MVP voting is a two-stage process, beginning with each player nominating the three teammates they consider to have been the most valuable this season. Each club’s results are then compiled to form a nomination list, featuring 54 players across the 18 teams.
Players then vote for their MVP on a 3-2-1 basis, from the nominees of the 17 other clubs. Those votes are tallied and the player with the highest score wins the honour of Most Valuable Player. (Players cannot vote for their teammates in stage two.)
A similar process is followed for the Best First-Year and Most Courageous awards, and every captain is automatically nominated for the Best Captain Award.