WESTERN Bulldogs superstar Marcus Bontempelli has capped off a remarkable 2016 season by winning the best and fairest award on Wednesday night.
In a campaign that saw the 20-year-old claim All Australian honours for the first time and then play an integral part in the club's drought-breaking premiership win, Bontempelli became the youngest player to claim the Charles Sutton Medal since David Thorpe in 1968.
The midfielder polled 319 votes to finish 71 votes clear of defender Dale Morris (248) with midfielder Lachie Hunter (246) rounding out the top three.
Coach Luke Beveridge and four assistants each give a vote from zero to five for each player in each game of the season. Players can receive a minimum of zero or maximum of 25 votes for any game.
Bontempelli, who was taken at pick No.4 in the 2013 NAB AFL Draft, played all 24 games in 2016, averaging 24 disposals and four tackles.
"This is an incredible thing for me personally, to be etched in the Bulldogs' fabric and history at this point in time," Bontempelli said.
"That's something that I'm going to forever look back on and be grateful for."
Bontempelli joins club legend and five-time best and fairest winner EJ Whitten as the only Bulldogs players to win the club champion award in a premiership season.
Bontempelli is four months younger than Whitten was in 1954 and has played three fewer games to the same point.
"I probably wasn't expecting to be standing up here this soon," Bontempelli said.
Liam Picken earned the best in finals award, after a stellar September where he averaged 23 possessions and finished fourth in the inaugural Gary Ayres Award – the AFL Coaches Association's best finals player.
Josh Dunkley was awarded the best first year player after managing 17 games, including Saturday's premiership, in his debut season.
Ruckman Jordan Roughead took home the most improved player, veteran Matthew Boyd was awarded the best team player and Tom Liberatore took home the most courageous award.
Charles Sutton Medal Top 10
1. Marcus Bontempelli (319 votes)
2. Dale Morris (248)
3. Lachie Hunter (246)
4. Tom Liberatore (218)
5. Liam Picken (214)
6. Luke Dahlhaus (201)
7. Jackson Macrae, Caleb Daniel (185)
9. Matthew Boyd (184)
10. Jason Johannisen (165)
Other award winners
Best in Finals: Liam Picken
Chris Grant Best First Year Player: Josh Dunkley
Tony Liberatore Most Improved Player: Jordan Roughead
Brad Johnson Best Team Player: Matthew Boyd
John Van Groningen Domestique Award: Dale Morris
Scott West Most Courageous Award: Tom Liberatore
John Schultz Community Award: Marcus Bontempelli
Victoria University Education Award: Mitch Wallis
