List Players of the Year

[worbod]

Inspired by the 1982-1990 Teams of the Year thread which can be viewed in this forum, I was intrigued to see on how many times 5, or on many occasions 6 Players of the Year have been selected by various VFL/AFL publications.

The first mention I am aware of where Five Footballers of the Year were chosen was within “1967 Footy Annual”, edited by John Dunn and Jim Main. This yearbook for the 1966 season, which expressed its desire to “become to the game what Wisden is to cricket”, had a panel of five football personalities choose the following five players:

Darrel Baldock (St. Kilda)
Ted Fordham (Essendon)
John Nicholls (Carlton)
Ian Stewart (St. Kilda)
Len Thompson (Collingwood)

The panel consisted of:

Brue Andrew, Secretary of the Australian National Football Council, former Collingwood player
Percy Beames, football writer for The Australian and former Melbourne player
Jack Hamilton, Assistant Secretary (Administration) of the VFL and former Collingwood player
Alan Nash, former leading VFL umpire
Terry Young, Public Relations Officer of the VFL


For the “1968 Footy Annual” the Five Footballers of the Year were:

Ron Barassi (Carlton)
Bill Barrot (Richmond)
Royce Hart (Richmond)
Ross Smith (St. Kilda)
Doug Wade (Geelong)

The yearbook also selected Five Footballers of the Year for the SANFL, WAFL, NSWFL, Canberra ANFL and for Tasmania’s three major competitions, the TFL, NWFU and NTFA.

As far as I am aware, these were the only two publications of the Footy Annual.

 

[worbod]

For the 1982 season, the VFL, in their “VFL Year Book 1983”, saw fit to choose Six Players of the Season. They also instituted a Team of the Year. The VFL Year Book had first been printed in 1972, but this edition, the sixth such one, was the first to introduce a Players of the Season concept. The first group of players were chosen by then VFL state selectors Ian Ridley, Len Thompson and Ray Walker.

Malcolm Blight (North Melbourne)
Jim Buckley (Carlton)
Robert Flower (Melbourne)
Ross Glendinning (North Melbourne)
Leigh Matthews (Hawthorn)
Brian Wilson (Melbourne)

In being chosen, these six players were deemed ineligible to be chosen in any future year books as Players of the Season, but could be selected in any subsequent VFL Team of the Year.


In the “VFL Year Book 1984”, these were the players chosen as the Six VFL Players of the Year for 1983:

Terry Daniher (Essendon)
Ken Hunter (Carlton)
Simon Madden (Essendon)
Bernie Quinlan (Fitzroy)
Maurice Rioli (Richmond)
Terry Wallace (Hawthorn)

The selection panel was once more the VFL state selectors Ian Ridley, Ray Walker and Ted Whitten, as well as Robert Flower and David Parkin, the captain and coach of the Team of the Year from 1982.


In “VFL Year Book 1985” the third selection of Six VFL Players of the Year (for season 1984) was named:

Gary Ablett (Geelong)
Leon Baker (Essendon)
Bruce Doull (Carlton)
Russell Greene (Hawthorn)
Gerard Healy (Melbourne)
Mark Lee (Richmond)

The panel that chose these players were VFL state selectors Ian Ridley, Ray Walker and Ted Whitten, as well as Allan Jeans, the coach of the previous Team of the Year.


The next instalment of the VFL Year Book was “VFL Year Book 1987”. For season 1986 the rule preventing players being named as a Player of the Year more than once had been revoked. The selectors for the six players were VFL interstate selectors Ian Ridley, Ray Walker and Ted Whitten, along with the coach of the 1984 Team of the Year Kevin Sheedy.

Gary Buckenara (Hawthorn)
Robert DiPierdomenico (Hawthorn)
Glenn Hawker (Essendon)
Paul Roos (Fitzroy)
Brian Taylor (Collingwood)
Greg Williams (Sydney)


The year after saw “VFL Year Book 1988” published. Once more the Six VFL Players of the Year were chosen by the VFL state selectors, they being Ron Barassi, Bill Goggin, Kelvin Moore, Graeme Richmond and Ted Whitten. For season 1987 the six players were:

Wayne Johnston (Carlton)
Stephen Kernahan (Carlton)
Chris Langford (Hawthorn)
Tony Lockett (St Kilda)
Tony McGuinness (Footscray)
John Platten (Hawthorn)

 

[worbod]

With no VFL Year Book being printed to cover 1988, the next such book, “AFL Year Book 1990” decided to dutifully list Six Players of the Year for 1988, these being:

Gary Buckenara (Hawthorn)
Peter Daicos (Collingwood)
Jason Dunstall (Hawthorn)
Gerard Healy (Sydney)
Brett Lovett (Melbourne)
Simon Madden (Essendon)

On this same page the top six players for 1987 and 1986 are also noted, with a notable difference being the naming of Gerard Healy as a Player of the Year for 1987 in place of Wayne Johnston.


AFL Year Book 1990 then reveals the Six Players of the Year for 1989 as:

Gary Ablett (Geelong)
Gavin Brown (Collingwood)
Paul Couch (Geelong)
Jason Dunstall (Hawthorn)
John Platten (Hawthorn)
Nicky Winmar (St Kilda)


Also in 1989, the publication “1989 Football Year in Review” duly selected Five Players of the Year. This publication carried official VFL logos on the front and was endorsed by the VFL. It was edited by Jim Main and Darren Christison and featured a foreword by Ross Oakley. The five players, as profiled by Jim Main, were:

Jason Dunstall (Hawthorn)
Garry Lyon (Melbourne)
Jim Stynes (Melbourne)
Tim Watson (Essendon)
Greg Williams (Sydney)


There had been an edition of Football Year in Review for 1988 but no players of the year were chosen.

 

[worbod]

The final edition of the VFL/AFL Year Book was “AFL Year Book 1991”. The Six Players of the Year (for 1990) are listed on page 4 as being:

Andrew Collins (Hawthorn)
Stewart Loewe (St Kilda)
John Longmire (North Melbourne)
Darren Millane (Collingwood)
Tony Shaw (Collingwood)
Stephen Silvagni (Carlton)

On the ensuing pages however, which has the six players listed and shown in a photo section, Chris Lewis has for some reason taken the place of John Longmire.


Also for season 1990, “Gaumont Football Yearbook 1991” selected Six Players of the Year. Edited by Darren Christison, this publication took over from the two previous “Football Year in Review” books. The six players were:

Terry Daniher (Essendon)
Stewart Loewe (St Kilda)
John Longmire (North Melbourne)
Darren Millane (Collingwood)
Tony Shaw (Collingwood)
Jim Stynes (Melbourne)

 

[worbod]

“Gaumont Football Yearbook 1992”, again edited by Darren Christison, selected the following Six Players of the Year for season 1991:

Garry Hocking (Geelong)
Tony Lockett (St. Kilda)
Guy McKenna (West Coast)
Barry Mitchell (Sydney)
Jim Stynes (Melbourne)
Craig Turley (West Coast)


One year later, “Gaumont Football Yearbook 1993” selected the following Six Players of the Year for season 1992:

Jason Dunstall (Hawthorn)
Ken Hinkley (Geelong)
Chris McDermott (Adelaide)
Mick McGuane (Collingwood)
Paul Roos (Fitzroy)
Scott Wynd (Footscray)

 

[worbod]

“The Football Bible ‘94”, as endorsed by Rex Hunt, selected a “Fantastic Five” as chosen by Herald-Sun journalists Trevor Grant, Geoff Poulter, Ron Reed, Mike Sheahan and Daryl Timms. These players of the year for season 1993 were:

Gary Ablett (Geelong)
Wayne Carey (North Melbourne)
Tony Modra (Adelaide)
Gavin Wanganeen (Essendon)
Greg Williams (Carlton)


The only other publication I know of which featured player of the year listings is “Football Australia Yearbook 1994”. Edited by Ken Piesse this magazine style publication selected Five Footballers of the Year in the form of:

Wayne Carey (North Melbourne)
Garry Hocking (Geelong)
Glen Jakovich (West Coast)
Shaun Rehn (Adelaide)
Greg Williams (Carlton)


If any other people know any additional Footballers of the Year it would be interesting to hear about them.

 

[worbod]

I should send a note of thanks to 35daicos for some of the info relating to my second and third posts. He has already written about the Six players of the Year in the 1982-1990 Teams of the Year thread.

https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/1982-1990-teams-of-the-year.1151267/

I did not actually realise six players had been chosen for 1988 until I looked through my copy of AFL Year Book 1990 in order to begin this thread and saw that the AFL had decided to name six players, despite not having published a year book which covered the 1988 season.

 

[worbod]

The only other publication I know of which featured player of the year listings is “Football Australia Yearbook 1994”. Edited by Ken Piesse this magazine style publication selected Five Footballers of the Year in the form of:

Wayne Carey (North Melbourne)
Garry Hocking (Geelong)
Glen Jakovich (West Coast)
Shaun Rehn (Adelaide)
Greg Williams (Carlton)

I have discovered another edition of Football Australia which gives Five Players of the Year for 1993:

Gary Ablett (Geelong)
Wayne Carey (North Melbourne)
Alistair Lynch (Fitzroy)
Tony Modra (Adelaide)
Greg Williams (Carlton)

I know there is also a Football Australia Yearbook for 1995, and there may well be others.

 

[worbod]

Football Australia Year Book 1995 named Five Players of the Year for that season, namely:

Gary Ablett (Geelong)
Wayne Campbell (Richmond)
Wayne Carey (North Melbourne)
Garry Lyon (Melbourne)
Justin Madden (Carlton)

 

[worbod]

The magazine "Football Fan" listed Five Footballers of the Year for 1984, as chosen by Mike Sheahan:

Gary Ablett (Geelong)
Russell Greene (Hawthorn)
Simon Madden (Essendon)
Roger Merrett (Essendon)
Tony Shaw (Collingwood)

 

[Procrastinator35]

I reckon the Leigh Matthews trophy, inaugurated by the AFLPA from 1982 onwards, the year he won it, does a good enough job of it.

Year	Player	Team
1982	Leigh Matthews	Hawthorn
1983	Terry Daniher	Essendon
1984	Russell Greene	Hawthorn
1985	Greg Williams	Geelong
1986	Paul Roos	Fitzroy
1987	Tony Lockett	St Kilda
1988	Gerard Healy	Sydney
1989	Tim Watson	Essendon
1990	Darren Millane	Collingwood
1991	Jim Stynes	Melbourne
1992	Jason Dunstall	Hawthorn
1993	Gary Ablett, Sr.	Geelong
1994	Greg Williams	Carlton
1995	Wayne Carey	North Melbourne
1996	Corey McKernan	North Melbourne
1997	Robert Harvey	St Kilda
1998	Wayne Carey	North Melbourne
1999	Shane Crawford	Hawthorn
2000	Anthony Koutoufides	Carlton
2001	Andrew McLeod	Adelaide
2002	Luke Darcy Michael Voss	Western Bulldogs Brisbane Lions
2003	Michael Voss	Brisbane Lions
2004	Nick Riewoldt	St Kilda
2005	Ben Cousins	West Coast
2006	Chris Judd	West Coast
2007	Gary Ablett, Jr.	Geelong
2008	Gary Ablett, Jr.	Geelong
2009	Gary Ablett, Jr.	Geelong
2010	Dane Swan	Collingwood
2011	Chris Judd	Carlton
2012	Gary Ablett, Jr.	Gold Coast
2013	Gary Ablett, Jr.	Gold Coast
2014	Nat Fyfe	Fremantle
2015	Nat Fyfe	Fremantle
2016	Patrick Dangerfield	Geelong
2017	Dustin Martin	Richmond
2018	Tom Mitchell	Hawthorn