GWS young gun Tim Taranto has taken the lead in this year’s Gary Ayres Award for Best Finals Player.
The Giants midfielder was awarded three votes by the coaches in Saturday’s narrow preliminary final win over Collingwood and now sits atop the leaderboard on 13 votes.
Taranto had 26 disposals, five inside 50s, eight clearances and laid six tackles in the dramatic four-point victory but only came in as GWS’ third best player.
Nick Haynes and Zac Williams both picked up 9 votes from Leon Cameron and Nathan Buckley ahead of Jeremy Howe (5), Taranto (3), Sam Taylor (2), Matt de Boer and Brodie Grundy (1 each).
In Richmond’s win over Geelong, Tom Lynch landed 9 votes from Damien Hardwick and Chris Scott for his five-goal performance.
Cats midfielder Tim Kelly was rewarded with eight votes for his brilliant showing with Dion Prestia (6), Bachar Houli (5), Joel Selwood and Jake Kolodjashnij (1 each) rounding it out.
Voting for 2019 Gary Ayres Award (Best Finals Player)
13 - Tim Taranto (GWS)
11 - Joel Selwood (Geelong)
10 - Jamie Cripps (West Coast)
10 - Toby Greene (GWS)
10 - Jeremy Howe (Collingwood)
10 - Stefan Martin (Brisbane)
9 - Shane Edwards (Richmond)
9 - Tom Lynch (Richmond)
9 - Dustin Martin (Richmond)
9 - Nick Haynes (GWS)
9 - Zac Williams (GWS)
9 - Luke Shuey (West Coast)
8 - Tim Kelly (Geelong)
8 - Dion Prestia (Richmond)
7 - Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)
7 - Jacob Hopper (GWS)
6 - Tom Hawkins (Geelong)
5 - Bachar Houli (Richmond)
5 - Jake Kolodjashnij (Geelong)
5 - Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood)
Players in bold still capable of winning
First awarded in 2016, the past Gary Ayres Award winners are Josh Kennedy (Sydney), Dustin Martin (Richmond) and Steele Sidebottom (Collingwood).