The AFL Coaches Association Gary Ayres Award is presented in recognition of the player who has been adjudged as the best player throughout the AFL Finals series, as voted by the coaches on a weekly basis throughout the duration of the AFL Finals Series.
Votes are issued after every game of the AFL Finals series by the competing coaches, with each coach providing their 5-4-3-2-1 for the match.
From 2022 any AFL Grand Final votes issued will receive 1.5 times loading.
ABOUT GARY AYRES
Gary Ayres was a member of 5 Hawthorn premiership teams – 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, and 1991 and is a two time Norm Smith Medallist, adjudged best on ground in 1986 and 1988.
Ayres coached 223 AFL games between 1995 and 2004: 116 with Geelong and 107 with Adelaide.
| 2022 | Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong Cats) | |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Jack Macrae (WESTERN BULLDOGS) | |
| 2020 | Dustin Martin (Richmond) | |
| 2019 | Dustin Martin (RICHMOND) | |
| 2018 | Steele Sidebottom (COLLINGWOOD) | |
| 2017 | Dustin Martin (Richmond) | |
| 2016 | Josh Kennedy (Sydney Swans) |
