YOUNG Sydney Swans star Isaac Heeney has shot to the top of the leaderboard in the Gary Ayres Award following a standout performance in Friday night's preliminary final.
Heeney overtook Western Bulldogs midfielder Liam Picken and has a three-vote lead going into Saturday's Grand Final.
The 20-year-old polled eight votes against Geelong on Friday night to take his finals tally to 15, with Picken (12) and Swans midfielder Josh Kennedy (10) still contenders.
Also on 10 votes are Bulldogs trio Luke Dahlhaus, Caleb Daniel and Clay Smith, who polled a perfect 10 against Greater Western Sydney on Saturday night.
Swans defender Dane Rampe polled nine votes against the Cats – his first votes of the finals – to make himself a contender.
The AFL Coaches Association has minted 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.
The award will be presented on the Monday following the Grand Final.
AFLCA Gary Ayres Award votes
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)
GARY AYRES AWARD LEADERBOARD
15 Isaac Heeney (SYD)
12 Liam Picken (WB)
12 Joel Selwood (GEEL)
11 Josh Kennedy (SYD)
10 Eddie Betts (ADEL)
10 Jeremy Cameron (GWS)
10 Luke Dahlhaus (WB)
10 Caleb Daniel (WB)
10 Clay Smith (WB)
9 Dane Rampe (SYD)
