The 24-year-old claimed the club's best and fairest on Friday night, relegating teammate Daniel Cross to the runner-up position for the second consecutive year.
Forward Daniel Giansiracusa took third place from last year's medallist Matthew Boyd, with just two votes separating the pair.
Griffen, who averaged almost 24 possessions over the 24 games he played in his sixth season at the club, won the award with 137 votes from Cross' 126.
The South Australian was in danger of missing the finals after injuring his knee in round 22 but recovered to be one of the Dogs' best players against Collingwood in the qualifying final.
He recently recommitted to the Bulldogs, signing a contract that will keep him at the club until the end of 2012.
"I'm very humbled and honoured to get the award, and it's actually a huge surprise," Griffen said afterwards.
"I'm really just over the moon.
"When [Adam] Cooney went down, Rocket came up to me and said, 'We need to you to lift a little bit', so I tried my hardest to do so.
"I was playing more out on a wing when Coons went down and I had to come into the middle more and win more of the hard ball. It was good and a good challenge."
It was a terrific year for Cross after two ankle reconstructions resulted in a delayed start to his pre-season.
The 27-year-old played every game, averaging more than 26 touches, and led the club for tackles and handballs.
Giansiracusa also played every game and kicked 35 goals despite a lingering hip problem. He is set to rack up his 200th league match in the first half of next season.
In other awards, up-and-coming ruckman Jordan Roughead was named the club's best first-year player and Easton Wood the most promising.
Roughead played eight games after making his senior debut in round five against Adelaide before a shoulder injury limited his selection chances after round 22.
Wood became a regular fixture in the side, with a hamstring injury the only thing keeping him from holding his spot for every game from round 12.
Tough defender Liam Picken was given the Scott West most courageous award while ruckman Ben Hudson became the first player to claim the Brad Johnson best team player award for his spirit and dedication to the club.
Injured young gun Sam Reid, who managed just one game this year in which he injured both shoulders and required season-ending surgery, won the community award.
Earlier, club president David Smorgon said the Dogs would be "very aggressive" in the trade period, which starts on Tuesday.
Coach Rodney Eade farewelled retiring pair Brad Johnson and Nathan Eagleton, outgoing assistant coach Leon Cameron and physiotherapist Sue Cautley, and thanked Tim Callan - who is not being retained on the list - for his three years at Whitten Oval.
He also said he believed the club's premiership window was still clearly open.
"If we want to improve, if we want to display Bulldogs' spirit, if we want to embrace the family mentality of playing for your family and also display honest soul, there's no doubt not only we can be successful but we will be successful in 2011."
2010 Charles Sutton medal top 10
1. Ryan Griffen - 137 votes
2. Daniel Cross - 126
3. Daniel Giansiracusa - 113
4. Matthew Boyd - 111
5. Robert Murphy - 105
6. Ben Hudson - 102
7. Brian Lake - 99
8. Adam Cooney - 97
9. Barry Hall - 93
10. Dale Morris - 83
