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by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

Sydney midfielder Luke Parker has won his first Bob Skilton medal as the Swans' best and fairest. Parker polled in all but three games to finish on 758 votes, ahead of Josh Kennedy (709) and Lance Franklin (688). Parker, 21, is the youngest winner since Michael O'Loughlin in 1998. He also won the Paul Kelly Players’ Player Award, which is voted on by the playing group. Parker led the club in 2014 for tackles, averaging six per game, and was among the leaders for the season in disposals, contested possessions and goals. Coach Longmire praised Parker as a great competitor, saying the win - after just 82 games - was a great achievement. “When you look at the players behind him - Kennedy and Franklin - you quickly get an understanding of how good a season he has had, and how highly we think of him as a player. Luke was taken as quite a late draft pick, but he really is testament to where hard work can get you, and we value that really highly."

Longmire was equally effusive in his praise of Kennedy who finished in the top three for the fifth time since crossing from Hawthorn. Speaking of the second and third placed finishers, Longmire said “Credit must also go to Josh Kennedy, not just for his great season, but his consistency over a long period of time, and to Lance, who has overcome the challenge of a new club and high expectations to perform incredibly well in his first season with us.”

Adam Goodes' 350 game milestone (the Preliminary Final) was recognized and he announced that he would play on in 2015, his 18th season. Rhyce Shaw has also indicated he will play in 2015.

The Top Ten
Voting: votes were awarded by the five coaches - John Longmire, John Blakey, Stuart Dew, Henry Playfair and Marty Mattner. A player can be awarded a maximum of 50 votes per game, and coaches can allocate up to 10 points for as many or as few players as they deem appropriate, per match.
Luke Parker - 758
Josh Kennedy - 709
Lance Franklin - 688
Kieren Jack - 663
Jarrad McVeigh - 624
Nick Malceski - 576
Ben McGlynn - 575
Nick Smith - 568
Dane Rampe - 548
Harry Cunningham - 520

Other awards:
The Paul Kelly Players' Player Award – Luke Parker
The Rising Star Award – Harry Cunningham
The Dennis Carroll Trophy for the Most Improved Award – Ben McGlynn
The Barry Round Best Clubman Award – Jarrad McVeigh
Paul Roos Award for Best Player in the Finals – Lance Franklin
Source: Jordan Laing, Sydney Media Release

Collingwood midfielder Scott Pendlebury has won his second consecutive Copeland Trophy as club best and fairest. It is his third win overall. Pendlebury's consistency and preparation has seen him miss only ten games in seven years and he missed only one game in 2014. Named All-Australian for a fifth time, Pendlebury polled 165 votes to finish 51 votes clear of runner-up Steele Sidebottom (114) and Dayne Beams (112).

Pendlebury thrived in his new found captaincy role, ranking inside the AFL’s top ten for effective disposals per game (3rd), disposals per game (6th) and contested possessions per game (8th). He also led the Magpies in total disposals (596), contested possessions (273), disposals per game (28.4), total tackles (116) and goal assists (14), while he was equal first with Sidebottom for uncontested possessions (314).

The Phonse Kyne Award for services to the club was presented to the club’s trainer of 33 years, Colin Arnell. Retiring at the conclusion of the 2014 season, Arnell is a beloved figure of Collingwood’s football staff and a veteran of two Premierships, seven Grand Finals, 41 Finals matches and more than 1,000 training sessions.

The Top Ten
Voting: each coach awards up to 22 votes per match. No player can receive more than four votes per match.
Scott Pendlebury 165
Steele Sidebottom 114
Dayne Beams 112
Heritier Lumumba 89
Brent Macaffer 85
Jamie Elliott 81
Travis Cloke 74
Tyson Goldsack 61
Jack Frost 61
Jarryd Blair 59

Other Awards
Magpie Army Player of the Year – Scott Pendlebury
Darren Millane Perpetual Memorial Trophy – Best Clubman – Quinten Lynch
Harry Collier Trophy – Best First Year Player – Tom Langdon
Gavin Brown Award – Leading Desire Indicators – Scott Pendlebury
Gordon Coventry Goal Kicking Award – Travis Cloke (39)
Joseph Wren Award – Best VFL Player – Kyle Martin
Phonse Kyne Award – Services to the Club - Colin Arnell
Source: Simon Chiarelli, Collingwood Media Release

Ben Cunnington has won his first Syd Barker Medal as North Melbourne best and fairest. Cunnington, 23, finished on 47 votes, just one ahead of Todd Goldstein and Levi Greenwood. The hard-nut midfielder averaged 22 disposals a match, as well as five tackles and six clearances. Cunnington has played 99 games and kicked 25 goals since making his debut in 2010. Goldstein narrowly missed out for the second year in succession after another consistent season, while Greenwood was third on a countback.

Greenwood won the the McCartney Jumper Award voted by the players, as well as the Blackwoods Supporters’ Player of the Year. Defender Michael Firrito was presented with the Harold Henderson Best Clubman Award voted by the coaches. Luke McDonald was named Best First Year Player and winner of the Mazda Spirit Award after a stellar debut season in which he played 23 games including three finals. Veteran defender Scott McMahon was recognized for his tireless work off the field as the Peter Scanlon Community Award winner.

The Top Ten
Voting: match committee members award a score out of five to as many players as they deem fit after each round
Ben Cunnington 47
Todd Goldstein 46*
Levi Greenwood 46*
Brent Harvey 45*
Drew Petrie 45*
Nick Dal Santo 41
Sam Gibson 40
Scott Thompson 35*
Andrew Swallow 35*
Shaun Atley 35*

*Countback applicable for all placings other than first
Source: Chelsea Collins, North Melbourne Media Release

Geelong's Joel Selwood has claimed his third ‘Carji’ Greeves medal, adding to his previous wins in 2010 and 2013. The Cats' skipper was judged best on ground in nine of his 24 games (304 votes) to win from Tom Hawkins on 294. Mitch Duncan placed third with 289.5. Selwood led the Cats with 614 disposals, was third in goal kicking with 24, had 100 inside 50s, laid 144 tackles and had 153 clearances and 20 goal assists. He was named captain of the All Australian team for the second consecutive season and finished equal fourth in the Brownlow medal voting.

Hawkins was second in the Coleman medal and finished with 68 goals. He finished with 161 marks including 56 contested and provided 17 goal assists. Duncan achieved his highest finish after producing his best season, ranking second on the team with 547 disposals and 151 marks. He also produced 93 inside 50s.

The Top Ten
Voting: After each game the senior coach and four assistants, allocate votes to all 22 players in the AFL team. From this, a player receives an overall score out of 20 for that particular game.

Joel Selwood – 304
Tom Hawkins – 294
Mitch Duncan – 289.5
Corey Enright – 288.5
Harry Taylor – 287
Jared Rivers – 285.5
Jimmy Bartel – 285
Cam Guthrie – 278.5
James Kelly – 278
Tom Lonergan – 268.5

Other Awards
Coach’s award: Joel Selwood
Tom Harley award (best clubman): Corey Enright
Best young player: Cameron Guthrie
Community champion: Mathew Stokes
VFL best & fairest: Jordan Schroder
Source: Kevin Diggerson, Geelong Media Release

Hawk midfielder Jordan Lewis won the Peter Crimmins Medal as club best and fairest. Lewis had a strong second half of the year, polling in every game after Round 12 to finish with 185 votes ahead of Grant Birchall (163) and Jarryd Roughead (161). A leader both on and off the field, Lewis had a stand out performance in the Hawks’ Grand Final win. The vice-captain was also named All-Australian for the first time in his career. He ranked number one at the club for clearances and center clearances, as well as disposals and contested possessions, and polled votes in 22 from a possible 24 matches.

Second placed Grant Birchall was one of three Hawks to play every match and averaged six votes a game across the season. This is his third top three finish following third placings in 2011 and 2012. Roughead rounded out the top three after an impressive year that earned him a second straight All-Australian selection and second place in the Coleman Medal. He capped off a fine season with six goals in the Preliminary Final and five in the Grand Final.

The Top Ten
Voting: Votes were awarded after each home and away and finals' game by the match committee, consisting of Senior Coach Alastair Clarkson and Assistant Coaches Luke Beveridge, Brendon Bolton, Cameron Bruce and Brett Ratten. A maximum of 16 votes can be accumulated by a player after each game.

Jordan Lewis – 185
Grant Birchall – 163
Jarryd Roughead – 161
Luke Hodge – 159
Isaac Smith – 148
Shaun Burgoyne – 146
Luke Breust – 145
Jack Gunston – 137
Paul Puopolo – 120Jos
Josh Gibson – 114

Other awards
Best Clubman – Matt Spangher
Best First Year Player – Angus Litherland
Best Player in Finals – Sam Mitchell
Most Consistent – Shaun Burgoyne
Most Promising – Bradley Hill
Source: Leah Mirabella, Hawthorn Media Release

Robbie Gray has capped off a stellar season by claiming his first John Cahill Medal as Port Adelaide's best and fairest. The star midfielder-forward played all 25 games and polled in all but two matches. This comes on top of All-Australian selection and winning the AFL Coaches' award. Gray won ahead of club captain Travis Boak, while four time best and fairest Kane Cornes finished third and versatile forward Justin Westhoff fourth. The win comes just two years after Gray suffered a serious knee injury and is a testament to his hard work since. He averaged 24.9 disposals per game and kicked 42 goals for the year, placing him third in the club’s goal kicking after Jay Schulz (66) and Chad  Wingard (43).

Travis Boak won his second Fos Williams Medal, named for the club’s late patriarch and nine time SANFL premiership coach Foster Neil Williams. Voted by the playing group for the teammate who best displays leadership, selflessness, professionalism, courage and loyalty, the award reflects Boak’s tireless work as Port Adelaide captain.

Oliver Wines won the Gavin Wanganeen Medal for the second season running after the coaches deemed him the Power’s best player under the age of 21. Wines has played every game of the 2013 and 2014 seasons.

Brad Ebert won the John McCarthy Award, presented in memory of the late Port Adelaide player John McCarthy. The award recognizes outstanding service to the community outside of the club. Brad is on the board of the Sammy D Foundation, a not for profit charity aimed at combating youth violence and alcohol/drug issues. Brad also supported the Walk to D-feet MND (Motor Neurone Disease, a disease that his grandmother Lorraine suffers from).

Utility player Matthew Lobbe won the Coaches’ Award as the player who demonstrated the most significant improvement this season.

Robbie Gray was also the people’s choice after being named the Wok In A Box Supporters’ Player of the Year. Power fans voted on a 3-2-1 basis for their best players from each round of the season on the club's website.
Source: James Wakelin, Port Adelaide Media Release

St Kilda champion Lenny Hayes is the 2014 winner of the AFL Players’ Madden Medal. The award is presented to a retiring player who has best demonstrated on-field excellence, personal development and community spirit over the course of his playing career. The Award is voted on by the AFL Players’ Association Board, as well as past Madden Medal winners. Hayes finished ahead of Brisbane’s Jonathan Brown, and Collingwood pair Luke Ball and Nick Maxwell. Hayes is the second Saint to win the award after Robert Harvey's win in 2008.

Other Madden Medal nominees included Ben Rutten (Adelaide), Dom Cassisi (Port Adelaide), Daniel Jackson (Richmond), Dean Cox (West Coast), Darren Glass (West Coast), and Daniel Giansiracusa (Western Bulldogs).
Source: Vanessa Gigliotti, AFLPA Media Release

Article last changed on Thursday, October 09, 2014 - 8:06 PM EDT


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