AFL Coaches Association awards


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, voted for by all AFL coaches.

Awards

Champion Player of the Year Award

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 Ablett, Jr. has won the award three times, the most by any player.

Winners

YearWinnerClub
2003
2004
2005
2006
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019

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.

Winners

YearWinnerClub
2016
2017
2018
2019

Best Young Player of the Year Award

Awarded annually since 2003. Unlike some other "best young player" awards, there is no age or game limit. Voted for by all AFL coaches.

Winners

YearWinnerClub
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019

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. Luke Beveridge, John Longmire, John Worsfold and Mark Thompson are the only coaches to have won the award more than once, with two each.

Winners

YearWinnerClub
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019

Assistant Coach of the Year Award

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.

Winners

YearWinnerClub
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019

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.

Winners

YearWinner
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2009
2010
2011
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019

Coaching Legend Award

Awarded annually from 2009 to 2018. Awarded to a former VFL/AFL coach who has achieved "significant achievement and success".

Winners

YearWinnerVFL/AFL club/s
2009/
2010
2011///
2012//
2013
2013/
2014/
2015//
2016///
2017///
2018/

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.

Winners

YearWinner
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019

Career & Education Award

Awarded annually since 2012. Awarded to an AFL coach who has "shown exceptional commitment to their professional development".

Winners

YearWinnerClub
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2016
2017
2018
2019

Phil Walsh Memorial Scholarship

Awarded annually since 2016. Awarded to an AFL coach who is "committed to developing themselves via study and travel".

Winners

YearWinnerClub
2016
2017
2018
2019

Support Staff Leadership Award

Awarded annually from 2003 to 2014. Awarded to an Australian rules support staff member who shows "outstanding contribution, innovation, initiative in carrying out duties".

Winners

YearWinnerVFL/AFL club/s
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007//
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014

All-Australian team

Awarded annually from 2015 to 2016. In 2015, in what was described as "ditching traditional positions in favour of modern tactics," in each position on the field, the highest-scoring player from the Champion Player of the Year Award voting is chosen. In 2016, a more traditional team was apparently chosen.

2015 team

2016 team

AFLW Champion Player of the Year Award

Awarded annually 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 year wins. The award has different rules to many "best and fairest" awards, as player suspensions are disregarded.

Winners

YearWinnerClub
2018
2018
2019

AFLW Senior Coach of the Year Award

Awarded annually 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.

Winners

YearWinnerClub
2019