AFL COACHES have voted Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield as the best player in the competition, yet he's not the one they would want if starting a team from scratch.

Dangerfield, who moved from Adelaide during last year's NAB AFL Trade Period, was declared the best AFL's player by seven of the 18 coaches.

Others to earn multiple nominations were Sydney Swans forward Lance Franklin and Hawthorn goalkicker Cyril Rioli (three apiece) and Fremantle Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe and Hawthorn midfielder Sam Mitchell (two each).

Geelong captain Joel Selwood received one nomination.

While Dangerfield was viewed as the game's best, he was not the popular pick when coaches were asked whom they would select first when starting a team from scratch.

They were asked to choose from Dangerfield, Franklin, Richmond's Alex Rance and North Melbourne's Todd Goldstein, representing a midfielder, a defender, a forward and a ruckman.

Eleven coaches nominated Franklin, with Dangerfield earning five votes. Two coaches would pick Rance.

Western Bulldogs star Marcus Bontempelli was the pick as the game's best emerging player (five), with Carlton's Jacob Weitering, Swan Isaac Heeney and Melbourne forward Jesse Hogan receiving two nominations each.

The best ruckman in the game was a divisive issue for the coaches, with seven picking Melbourne's Max Gawn and five selecting last year's All Australian big man Goldstein. 

The AFL Media annual coaches’ survey, facilitated by the AFL Coaches’ Association, was conducted in July. All 18 senior coaches took part in the anonymous online survey, although not all 18 answered every question.

Full results of the 30-question survey are published in the round-20 edition of the AFL Record, on sale at all venues.