WEST Coast's transformation from wooden spooners to top-four contenders over the course of one season has been one of the stories of 2011.

One look at the players who received votes for the AFL Coaches Association (AFLCA) player of the year award in round 20 helps explain some of the reasons why.

NAB AFL Rising Star contender Luke Shuey was adjudged best on ground in West Coast's 57-point win over Richmond, receiving nine votes for his 30 possessions, seven clearances and a goal.

Mark Nicoski claimed eight votes after he kicked six goals straight and laid six tackles, with Daniel Kerr earning seven votes for his 34 disposals and eight clearances.

Jack Darling also picked up two votes, along with ruckman Nic Naitanui.

Naitanui played 22 games in 2010, but the other four players managed only 16 matches combined.

Kerr played just the opening four rounds of the season before being struck down by a serious hamstring problem and Nicoski appeared only six times due to recurring shoulder problems.

Shuey also played just six matches due to knee and illness issues and Darling developed his game in the WAFL before being drafted last November.

Throw in the form of ruckman Dean Cox, who is eighth in the AFLCA award but was affected by a hip problem against Richmond, and it's not hard to see where West Coast's improvement has originated.

Neither coach mentioned Shuey after the match, despite handing him nine votes for his outstanding performance, but Eagles coach John Worsfold had praise for some of his other players.

Last year some questioned whether Kerr's career was over as he battled major hamstring troubles, but he fought his way back and had shown some of his form of old this season.

Some soreness relating to hamstring surgery let to him being rested for three weeks before he resumed in sparkling form against the Tigers.

"He felt he was ready to go last week, but we were comfortable we made the right decision to prepare him for this week," Worsfold said.

"He's certainly fitter and feeling better than he was even at the start of the year when he came back in.

"It's a credit to him for how hard he's worked in his down time."

Darling is another player who has had a major impact in his first season of senior football.

With Josh Kennedy missing from the forward line due to injury, Darling kicked four goals as a key forward.

On the overall AFCLA leaderboard, Carlton's dynamic duo of Marc Murphy and Chris Judd continue to lead the way, with the latter closing to within three points of the top.

Heavily favoured to win a third Brownlow Medal this year, Judd has played second fiddle to Murphy in the AFLCA award for most of the season.

But Judd has picked up maximum votes in three of his past six games, including in last Saturday's win over Melbourne, to move to 80 votes.

Former Hawthorn skipper Sam Mitchell has been another big mover, picking up 10 votes against North Melbourne to move to 79 for the season.

Collingwood's Scott Pendlebury had earned 32 votes over a five-match stretch to close the gap on the leaders, but returned only a single vote against Port Adelaide to move to 70 and fourth overall.

Round 20 votes

St Kilda v Fremantle
8 Clinton Jones (St K)
5 Stephen Milne (St K)
5 Tendai Mzungu (Frem)
4 Nick Dal Santo (St K)
4 Sam Fisher (St K)
2 Chris Mayne (Frem)
1 Jason Blake (St K)
1 Jason Gram (St K)

Carlton v Melbourne
10 Chris Judd (Carl)
6 Heath Scotland (Carl)
5 Bryce Gibbs (Carl)
4 Marc Murphy (Carl)
3 Marcus Davies (Carl)
2 Robert Warnock (Carl)

Geelong v Gold Coast
10 Joel Selwood (Geel
) 8 Steve Johnson (Geel)
6 Travis Varcoe (Geel)
3 Allen Christensen (Geel)
2 James Podsiadly (Geel)
1 Paul Chapman (Geel)

Essendon v Sydney Swans
10 Adam Goodes (Syd)
7 Patrick Ryder (Ess)
7 Jobe Watson (Ess)
3 Daniel Hannebery (Syd)
2 Dustin Fletcher (Ess)
1 Brent Stanton (Ess)

Port Adelaide v Collingwood
9 Dayne Beams (Coll)
7 Jarryd Blair (Coll)
6 Leon Davis (Coll)
6 Dane Swan (Coll)
1 Travis Boak (PA)
1 Scott Pendlebury (Coll)

Adelaide v Brisbane Lions
10 Scott Thompson (Adel)
6 Sam Jacobs (Adel)
6 Tom Rockliff (Bris)
6 Nathan Van Berlo (Adel)
1 Jed Adcock (Bris)
1 Rory Sloane (Adel)

Hawthorn v North Melbourne
10 Sam Mitchell (Haw)
7 Scott McMahon (NM)
7 Jack Ziebell (NM)
2 Shaun Burgoyne (Haw)
2 Matt Campbell (NM)
1 Josh Gibson (Haw)
1 Matt Suckling (Haw)

West Coast v Richmond
9 Luke Shuey (WCE)
8 Mark Nicoski (WCE)
7 Daniel Kerr (WCE)
2 Jack Darling (WCE)
2 Nic Naitanui (WCE)
1 Brett Deledio (Rich)
1 Brad Ebert (WCE)

Leaderboard
83 Marc Murphy (Carl)
80 Chris Judd (Carl)
79 Sam Mitchell (Haw)
70 Scott Pendlebury (Coll)
66 Gary Ablett (GC)
66 Matthew Boyd (WB)
63 Daniel Wells (NM)
60 Dean Cox (WCE)
59 Joel Selwood (Geel)
58 Ryan O’Keefe (Syd)