SYDNEY Swans star Josh Kennedy has won the inaugural Gary Ayres Award as the player of the finals after an outstanding Grand Final performance against the Western Bulldogs.
Kennedy, who was awarded seven votes by the competing coaches on Saturday, came from behind to win with 18 votes, pipping the Western Bulldogs' Norm Smith medallist Jason Johannison (17).
Young Swans star Isaac Heeney (15) and Bulldogs premiership hero Liam Picken (14) were leading the race going into the Grand Final but were overtaken in the premiership decider.
Kennedy was awarded votes in three of the four finals he played, including a perfect 10 against Adelaide in the semi-final at the SCG.
The AFL Coaches Association introduced the new award for the player of the finals series, based on the voting system used for the AFLCA Player of the Year Award during the season.
AFLCA CEO Mark Brayshaw says Kennedy's consistency across the four games meant he was a deserving winner.
"Josh's performance in the Grand Final was wonderful, but he's the inaugural winner of our Gary Ayres Award because he polled votes in three of the Swans' four finals," Brayshaw said.
"He's had a mighty September of football and is a deserved winner."
Johannisen was viewed by one of Saturday's Grand Final coaches as best on ground, earning four votes from the other to finish on nine.
Bulldogs forward Tom Boyd was rewarded for his breakout game with maximum votes from one coach and three from the other to finish on eight.
Picken, who polled two votes in the premiership decider, joined a select group during the finals to average more than 20 possessions and two goals across three or more finals.
Since 2001, only Steve Johnson (2007, '10, '13), Paul Chapman ('09), Lance Franklin ('12) and Robbie Gray ('14) have enjoyed such a high output.
GARY AYRES AWARD LEADERBOARD
18 Josh Kennedy (SYD)
17 Jason Johannisen (WB)
15 Isaac Heeney (SYD)
14 Liam Picken (WB)
12 Joel Selwood (GEEL)
10 Eddie Betts (ADEL)
10 Jeremy Cameron (GWS)
10 Luke Dahlhaus (WB)
10 Caleb Daniel (WB)
10 Clay Smith (WB)
GRAND FINAL
SYDNEY SWANS v WESTERN BULLDOGS
9 Jason Johannisen (WB)
8 Tom Boyd (WB)
7 Josh Kennedy (Syd)
2 Liam Picken (WB)
2 Easton Wood (WB)
1 Joel Hamling (WB)
1 Jack Macrae (WB)
FINALS WEEK THREE
GEELONG v SYDNEY SWANS
9 Dane Rampe (Syd)
8 Isaac Heeney (Syd)
4 Lance Franklin (Syd)
4 Tom Mitchell (Syd)
4 Joel Selwood (Geel)
1 Patrick Dangerfield (Geel)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY v WESTERN BULLDOGS
10 Clay Smith (WB)
5 Jason Johannisen (WB)
4 Luke Dahlhaus (WB)
4 Tory Dickson (WB)
3 Tom Scully (GWS)
2 Dylan Shiel (GWS)
1 Toby Greene (GWS)
1 Nick Haynes (GWS)
FINALS WEEK TWO
HAWTHORN v WESTERN BULLDOGS
8 Marcus Bontempelli (WB)
8 Jack Macrae (WB)
8 Liam Picken (WB)
4 Shaun Burgoyne (Haw)
1 Josh Dunkley (WB)
1 Tom Liberatore (WB)
SYDNEY SWANS v ADELAIDE
10 Josh Kennedy (Syd)
7 Isaac Heeney (Syd)
6 Nick Smith (Syd)
3 Dan Hannebery (Syd)
2 Lance Franklin (Syd)
2 Tom Papley (Syd)
FINALS WEEK ONE
WEST COAST v WESTERN BULLDOGS
10 Caleb Daniel (WB)
6 Luke Dahlhaus (WB)
4 Liam Picken (WB)
3 Joel Hamling (WB)
3 Jason Johannisen (WB)
2 Lachie Hunter (WB)
2 Tom Liberatore (WB)
GEELONG v HAWTHORN
8 Joel Selwood (Geel)
6 Jordan Lewis (Haw)
5 Mark Blicavs (Geel)
5 Cam Guthrie (Geel)
3 Shaun Burgoyne (Haw)
2 Luke Breust (Haw)
1 Patrick Dangerfield (Geel)
SYDNEY SWANS v GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
10 Jeremy Cameron (GWS)
7 Stephen Coniglio (GWS)
7 Lachie Whitfield (GWS)
2 Dan Hannebery (Syd)
2 Devon Smith (GWS)
1 Heath Grundy (Syd)
1 Josh Kennedy (Syd)
ADELAIDE v NORTH MELBOURNE
10 Eddie Betts (Adel)
8 Brodie Smith (Adel)
5 Tom Lynch (Adel)
5 Taylor Walker (Adel)
1 Matt Crouch (Adel)
1 Daniel Talia (Adel)
