The AFL Coaches Association awards are a group of awards which have been presented annually since 2003, mainly to players and coaches in the Australian Football League (AFL), voted for by all AFL coaches.
Awards
Champion Player of the Year
Awarded annually since 2003. Each week, the senior coach of each AFL club gives five votes to the player they consider to be best on ground in the game in which their team plays, four to the second-best, and so on to one for the fifth-best. The player with the most votes at the end of the year wins. The award has different rules to many "best and fairest" awards, as player suspensions are disregarded.
Gary Ayres Award
Awarded since 2016. Each week during the finals series, the senior coach of each competing AFL club gives five votes to the player they consider to be best on ground in the game their team plays in, four to the second-best, and so on to one for the fifth-best. The player with the most votes at the end of the finals series wins. The award is named after Gary Ayres, a 5-time VFL/AFL premiership player and Australian Football Hall of Fame inductee.
| Year | Winner | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 2016[4] | Josh Kennedy | Sydney |
| 2017[5] | Dustin Martin | Richmond |
| 2018 | Steele Sidebottom | Collingwood |
| 2019 | Dustin Martin (2) | Richmond |
| 2020 | Dustin Martin (3) | Richmond |
| 2021[6] | Jackson Macrae | Western Bulldogs |
| 2022[7] | Patrick Dangerfield | Geelong |
| 2023[8] | Sam Walsh | Carlton |
Best Young Player
Awarded annually since 2003. Unlike some other "best young player" awards, there is no age or game limit. Awarded to the best player inside the first two seasons of their AFL careers based on the weekly AFLCA Player of the Year votes.
Allan Jeans Senior Coach of the Year Award
Awarded annually since 2003. At the end of the season, all AFL coaches give three votes to the senior coach they adjudge to have performed the best over that season, two to the second-best, and one to the third-best. The coach with the most votes wins. Ken Hinkley, Luke Beveridge, John Longmire, John Worsfold and Mark Thompson are the only coaches to have won the award more than once, with two each.
Assistant Coach of the Year
Awarded annually since 2003. At the end of the season, all AFL coaches and players rate their club's assistant coaches out of ten, with ten being the highest score. Assistant coaches' scores are then averaged, and the coach with the highest score wins.
Neale Daniher Lifetime Achievement Award
Awarded annually since 2003. In recognition of "an individual who has made an outstanding contribution" to Australian rules football. Renamed from Lifetime Achievement Award to Neale Daniher Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2003 | Haydn Bunton Jr. |
| 2004 | Neil Kerley |
| 2005 | John Todd |
| 2006 | John Grant |
| 2007 | Wally Miller |
| 2008 | Ian Ridley |
| 2009 | Bruce Reid |
| Ian Reynolds | |
| 2010 | Barrie Downs |
| 2011 | Russell Ebert |
| Geoff Walsh | |
| 2012 | John Beveridge |
| 2013 | George Stone |
| 2014 | Neale Daniher |
| 2015 | David Wheadon |
| 2016 | Mark Williams |
| 2017 | John Dimmer |
| 2018 | Alan Stewart |
| 2019 | Stephen Wells |
| 2020 | Neil Balme |
| 2021 | Ian Miller |
| 2022 | Alan McConnell |
| 2023 | Neil Craig |
Coaching Legend Award
Awarded annually from 2009 to 2018. Awarded to a former VFL/AFL coach who has achieved "significant achievement and success".
Media Award
Awarded annually since 2009. Awarded to an individual who displays "respected and insightful coverage of AFL football at the professional level". All AFL coaches can nominate an individual.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2009 | Greg Baum |
| 2010 | Daniel Harford |
| 2011 | Samantha Lane |
| 2012 | Jake Niall |
| 2013 | Daryl Timms |
| 2014 | Gerard Whateley |
| 2015 | Gerard Whateley (2) |
| 2016 | Gerard Whateley (3) |
| 2017 | Gerard Whateley (4) |
| 2018 | Gerard Whateley (5) |
| 2019 | Gerard Whateley (6) |
| 2020 | Gerard Whateley (7) |
| 2021 | Gerard Whateley (8) |
| 2022 | Gerard Whateley (9) |
| 2023 | Gerard Whateley (10) |
Career & Education Award
Awarded annually since 2014.[14] Awarded to an AFL coach who has "shown exceptional commitment to their professional development".
| Year | Winner | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Steven King | Western Bulldogs |
| 2015 | Paul Hudson | St Kilda |
| 2016 | Andrew McQualter | Richmond |
| Danny Sexton | St Kilda | |
| 2017 | Mitch Hahn | Brisbane Lions |
| 2018 | Jordan Russell | Western Bulldogs |
| 2019 | Dan Jordan | Essendon |
| 2020 | not awarded | |
| 2021 | Jaymie Graham | West Coast |
| 2022 | Daniel Pratt | West Coast |
| 2023 | Adrian Hickmott | Hawthorn |
Development Coach of the Year Award
Awarded in 2012 and 2013 and then reintroduced annually from 2022. Based on 50-50 input from both players and coaches, it is awarded to the highest-ranked AFL development coach based on "their overall performance [that] year".[15]
| Year | Winner | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Craig McRae | Collingwood |
| 2013 | Chris Maple | Western Bulldogs |
| 2022 | Michael Godden | Adelaide |
| 2023 | Michael Godden (2) | Adelaide |
| Mark Williams | Melbourne |
Phil Walsh Memorial Scholarship
Awarded annually since 2016. Awarded to an AFL coach who is "committed to developing themselves via study and travel".[16]
| Year | Winner | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Ben Rutten | Richmond |
| 2017 | Adrian Hickmott | West Coast |
| 2018 | Aaron Greaves | Port Adelaide |
| 2019 | Damian Truslove | Greater Western Sydney |
| 2020 | Luke Kelly | Greater Western Sydney |
| 2021 | Scott Selwood | Collingwood |
| 2022 | Neville Jetta | Collingwood |
| 2023 | Tim Clarke | Carlton |
Support Staff Leadership Award
Awarded annually from 2003 to 2014. Awarded to an Australian rules support staff member who shows "outstanding contribution, innovation, [or] initiative in carrying out [their] duties".[17]
| Year | Winner | VFL/AFL club/s |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Barry Gavin | Hawthorn |
| 2004 | Bill Sutherland | West Coast |
| 2005 | Eddie Walsh | Western Bulldogs |
| 2006 | Ted Soderblom | Richmond |
| 2007 | Noel Judkins | Richmond, Essendon, Collingwood |
| 2008 | Shane O'Sullivan | Carlton, Footscray, Brisbane Bears, North Melbourne |
| 2009 | Ken Whiffen | St Kilda |
| 2010 | Ilmar Tiltins | Richmond |
| 2011 | Arthur Wilkinson | Melbourne |
| 2012 | John Kilpatrick | Hawthorn |
| 2013 | Stephen Wells | Geelong |
| 2014 | John Kilby | Essendon |
All-Australian team
A representative team was selected by the AFLCA in 2015 and 2016. In its first year, in what was described as "ditching traditional positions in favour of modern tactics,"[18] in each position on the field (decided by analysts), the highest-scoring player from the Champion Player of the Year Award voting was chosen. In its final year, a more traditional team line-up was selected.
2015 team
| 2015 AFL Coaches Association All-Australian team[18] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Club |
| Easton Wood | Tall/medium defender | Western Bulldogs |
| Alex Rance | Tall defender | Richmond |
| Zach Tuohy | Small defender | Carlton |
| Robert Murphy | Medium defender | Western Bulldogs |
| Cale Hooker | Tall defender | Essendon |
| Jarrad McVeigh | Medium defender | Sydney |
| Todd Goldstein | Ruckman | North Melbourne |
| Dan Hannebery | Inside/outside midfielder | Sydney |
| Nat Fyfe | Inside midfielder | Fremantle |
| Josh P. Kennedy | Inside midfielder | Sydney |
| Matt Priddis | Inside midfielder | West Coast |
| Andrew Gaff | Inside/outside midfielder | West Coast |
| Patrick Dangerfield | Inside/outside midfielder | Adelaide |
| Jake Stringer | Key forward | Western Bulldogs |
| Brett Deledio | High half-forward | Richmond |
| Chad Wingard | Small forward | Port Adelaide |
| Josh J. Kennedy | Key forward | West Coast |
| Jack Gunston | Tall/medium forward | Hawthorn |
| David Mundy | Interchange inside midfielder | Fremantle |
| Scott Pendlebury (captain) | Interchange inside/outside midfielder | Collingwood |
| Bernie Vince | Interchange inside/outside midfielder | Melbourne |
| Nic Naitanui | Interchange ruckman | West Coast |
2016 team
AFLW champion player of the year
Awarded each season since 2018. Each week, the senior coach of each AFL Women's club gives five votes to the player they consider to be best on ground in the game in which their team plays, four to the second-best, and so on to one for the fifth-best. The player with the most votes at the end of the season wins. The award has different rules to many "best and fairest" awards, as player suspensions are disregarded.
| Season | Winner | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Emma Kearney | Western Bulldogs |
| Chelsea Randall | Adelaide | |
| 2019 | Erin Phillips | Adelaide |
| 2020 | Jasmine Garner | North Melbourne |
| 2021 | Kiara Bowers | Fremantle |
| 2022 (S6) | Emily Bates | Brisbane |
| 2022 (S7) | Jasmine Garner (2) | North Melbourne |
AFLW senior coach of the year
Awarded each season since 2019. After the preliminary finals, the senior coach of each AFL Women's club gives three votes to the other coach they consider to have performed best throughout the season, two to the second-best, and one to the third-best. The coach with the most votes from this process wins.
| Season | Winner | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Daniel Harford | Carlton |
| 2020 | Trent Cooper | Fremantle |
| 2021 | Craig Starcevich | Brisbane |
| 2022 (S6) | Mick Stinear | Melbourne |
| 2022 (S7) | Craig Starcevich (2) | Brisbane |