NORTH Melbourne hardman Ben Cunnington has capped his career-best season with a second Syd Barker Medal as the Kangaroos' club champion.
Cunnington's victory follows his 2014 triumph and adds to runner-up finishes in 2015, 2017 and 2018 that illustrate the inside midfielder's consistency and value internally.
He joins Ross Glendinning, Barry Davis, Wally Carter, Laurie Dwyer, Shaun Higgins, Mick Martyn, Wayne Schwass, Anthony Stevens and Daniel Wells as dual winners of the Syd Barker Medal.
Ben Cunnington won the B&F by 15 votes.
Cunnington polled 242 votes and held out fast-finishing defender Robbie Tarrant (227) and Todd Goldstein and Trent Dumont (both 192).
Higgins, North's best and fairest winner the past two years, surprisingly placed only eighth but did miss five games mid-season after hurting his AC joint and requiring surgery.
He polled the most Brownlow Medal votes among the Kangaroos this year.
Ben Cunnington and wife Belinda at the 2019 Brownlow Medal.
Cunnington was shortlisted for Virgin Australia AFL All Australian honours, averaged more disposals (26.6) and contested possessions (15.6) than ever before and complemented them with 7.3 clearances.
The 28-year-old ranked in the top five in the competition for contested possessions, handballs, clearances and centre clearances.
He signed a two-year contract extension in June to commit his future to the club until at least the end of 2022.
Cunnington's first half of the season was especially impressive, including amassing 26 touches or more in 10 of his first 12 games and having double-digit clearances five times in that period.
That blistering opening saw opposition teams pay closer attention to him, but he still twice had 37 disposals down the stretch.
Tarrant was first at North Melbourne for total marks (137), intercept marks (47) and spoils (139) and rarely had his colours lowered down back in an outstanding year.
Star ruckman Goldstein, who turned his back on free agency to re-sign in mid-September for three years at Arden Street, officially placed third on a countback.
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The 31-year-old enjoyed comfortably his strongest season since his 2015 All Australian campaign, averaging almost 17 disposals and 11.5 hitouts to advantage.
Fellow big man Tom Campbell, another to re-sign for multiple years, claimed the John Law Medal as the VFL Roos' best and fairest winner.
Players can poll up to 20 votes in a game.
2019 Syd Barker Medal - Top 10
1. Ben Cunnington (242 votes)
2. Robbie Tarrant (227)
3. Todd Goldstein (192*)
4. Trent Dumont (192)
5. Ben Brown (190*)
6. Jack Ziebell (190)
7. Jared Polec (184)
8. Shaun Higgins (170)
9. Jasper Pittard (169)
10.Shaun Atley (158)
* Finishes higher on countback
Other awards
Life Members: Dean Laidley, Ben Cunnington, Jamie Macmillan
Harold Henderson Best Clubman Award: Tom Campbell
The Mazda Excellence Award: Ben Cunnington
Peter Scanlon Community Award: Jamie Macmillan
Shinboner of the Year Award: Robbie Tarrant
Best Young Player Award: Tarryn Thomas
VFL Best Clubman Award: Daniel Robinson
