Brisbane midfielder Lachie Neale has won the AFL Coaches Association player of the year award, beating Melbourne’s Christian Petracca to claim the honour.
With two rounds left, Neale was 16 votes clear of second place and saluted in the final fortnight of the season to become the first Lions player to win the coveted award.
Petracca finished second, with Port Adelaide midfielder Travis Boak finishing in third.
The AFLCA player of the year has been given out since 2003, with both coaches casting their votes in a 5-4-3-2-1 format after every home and away game.
TOP 5
93 votes: Lachie Neale (Brisbane)
78 votes: Christian Petracca (Melbourne)
77 votes: Travis Boak (Port Adelaide)
72 votes: Jack Steele (St Kilda)
60 votes: Taylor Adams (Collingwood)
The rest:
59 - Marcus Bontempelli (WB)
56 - Nic Naitanui (WCE)
55 - Zach Merrett (ESS)
48 - Cameron Guthrie (GEE)
46 - Jack Macrae (WB)
44 - Patrick Dangerfield (GEE)
44 - Luke Parker (SYD)
43 - Scott Pendlebury (COL)
43 - Ollie Wines (PA)
42 - Dustin Martin (RIC)
41 - Sam Menegola (GEE)
41 - Liam Ryan (WCE)
40 - Lachie Whitfield (GWS)
39 - Nat Fyfe (FRE)
39 - Jarryd Lyons (BRI)