THE AFL is today launching two new awards to recognise the most valuable players in the VFL and rebel VFLW.

Similar to the AFL Coaches Association Player of the Year, the VFL and VFLW Coaches Awards will be voted on by the coaches of each club after every game in both competitions.

The coaches will award 5-4-3-2-1 to their best players in the game from either team, with those votes collated and revealed each week on vfl.com.au.

The Round 1 votes in the rebel VFLW Coaches Player of the Year can also be revealed, with three players getting their seasons off to the perfect start across the six games.

Southern Saints recruit Grace Buchan received the full 10 votes from coaches Dale Robinson and Chloe McMillan for spearheading her new team’s streak-breaking 20-point win over Collingwood on Sunday; Olivia Barber earned a perfect score in Geelong’s big win over Carlton on Saturday and Hawthorn signing Tegan Cunningham was also a clear best-on-ground in her team’s thrashing of North Melbourne on Sunday.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 28: Tegan Cunningham of the Demons kicks the ball during the 2021 AFLW Round 05 match between the Collingwood Magpies and the Melbourne Demons at Victoria Park on February 28, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos)

Experienced Darebin pair Nicole Callinan and new arrival Angelica Gogos picked up nine votes each in the Falcons’ stunning come-from-behind win over Williamstown, while Casey Demon Maeve Chaplin and Cat Paige Sheppard (eight each) were also on a list of 12 players to receive votes off both coaches in their matches.

A total of 48 players polled votes in Round 1 in a positive sign of the ever-improving quality of the rebel VFLW.

Twitter: @BRhodesVFL

 

ROUND 1 VOTES

Casey Demons v Port Melbourne
8 Maeve Chaplin (Cas) 8
6 Courtney Bromage (PM) 6
5 Krstel Petrevski (PM) 5
3 Tahlia Gillard (Cas) 3
3 Sophie Molan (PM) 3
2 Sophie Locke (PM) 2
2 Akayla Peterson (PM) 2
1 Eloise O’Connor (Cas) 1

Vic Metro's Maeve Chaplin in action during the U19 Championships match against Western Australia on April 15, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos

Darebin v Williamstown
9 Nicole Callinan (Dar) 9
9 Angelica Gogos (Dar) 9
6 Ruby Tripodi (Wil) 6
2 Sasha Long (Wil) 2
2 Stephanie Simpson (Dar) 2
1 Sally Lynch (Dar) 1
1 Alana Sarec (Wil) 1

Nicole Callinan and Georgia Nanscawen in action during the round 14 VFLW clash between Darebin and Essendon at Bill Lawry Oval on June 26, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos

Essendon v Western Bulldogs
6 Georgia Nanscawen (Ess) 6
5 Mikayla Barnes (Ess) 5
4 Mia-Rae Clifford (Ess) 4
4 Renee Tierney (Ess) 4
3 Eloise Ashley-Cooper (Ess) 3
3 Courtney Ugle (Ess) 3
2 Brooke Hards (WB) 2
2 Jordan Zanchetta (Ess) 2
1 Grace Dicker (Ess) 1

Geelong v Carlton
10 Olivia Barber (Gee) 10
8 Paige Sheppard (Gee) 8
3 Sachi De Giacomi (Gee) 3
3 Maddy Guerin (Car) 3
2 Nadia Moore (Car) 2
2 Tamara Smith (Gee) 2
1 Amelia Klingbeil (Car) 1
1 Stephanie Williams (Gee) 1

North Melbourne v Hawthorn
10 Tegan Cunningham (Haw) 10
7 Tamara Luke (Haw) 7
6 Lauren Szigeti (Haw) 6
3 Jennifer Guy (NM) 3
2 Eliza Shannon (Haw) 2
1 Dominique Carbone (Haw) 1
1 Mietta Kendall (Haw) 1

Collingwood v Southern Saints
10 Grace Buchan (SS) 10
4 Katie Lee (Col) 4
4 Ebony Nixon (SS) 4
3 Gabby De Angelis (SS) 3
3 Winnie Laing (SS) 3
2 Nicole Hales (Col) 2
2 Olivia Meagher (Col) 2
1 Nicole Cormack (SS) 1
1 Jacqui Vogt (SS) 1

Darebin's Angelica Gogos breaks a tackle from Williamstown's Lana King in their VFLW round one match at LaTrobe University on February 12, 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

LEADERBOARD
10 Olivia Barber (Gee)
10 Grace Buchan (SS)
10 Tegan Cunningham (Haw)
9 Nicole Callinan (Dar)
9 Angelica Gogos (Dar)
8 Maeve Chaplin (Cas)
8 Paige Sheppard (Gee)
7 Tamara Luke (Haw)
6 Courtney Bromage (PM)
6 Georgia Nanscawen (Ess)
6 Lauren Szigeti (Haw)
6 Ruby Tripodi (Wil)