AFL Best and Fairest winners 2023: Every club champion and top 10 leaderboard

Bryn Wakefield

AFL Best and Fairest winners 2023: Every club champion and top 10 leaderboard image

It's the best and fairest season in the AFL, with many clubs preparing to celebrate their clubmen and most influential players.

The process begins with clubs who have missed the finals, while teams in the finals will hold their events after their campaign concludes.

The Sporting News reveals every best and fairest winner, key dates, and a leaderboard for each club.

AFL Best and Fairest 2023 winners and leaderboards

Adelaide - Malcolm Blight Medal

Adelaide captain Jordan Dawson has capped off an All-Australian season with his first best-and-fairest award.

The skipper finished ahead of three-time winner Rory Laird and veteran key forward Taylor Walker.

Leaderboard

Ranking Player Votes
1st  Jordan Dawson 132
2nd Rory Laird 115
3rd Taylor Walker 98
4th Izak Rankine 92
4th Mitch Hinge 92
6th Lachlan Murphy 91
7th Brodie Smith 87
8th Chayce Jones 80
9th Ben Keays 80
10th Wayne Milera 79

How voting works

Adelaide’s Club Champion Award is calculated by coaches rating every player with a score from 1-10 after every game this season.

Last five winners

2022 Rory Laird
2021 Rory Laird
2020 Reilly O'Brien
2019 Brad Crouch
2018 Rory Laird

Brisbane - Merrett-Murray Medal

Intercept defender Harris Andrews has pipped Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale to Brisbane's best and fairest award.

Hugh McCluggage and Josh Dunkley finished third and fourth respectively.

Leaderboard

Ranking Player Votes
1st  Harris Andrews 62
2nd Lachie Neale 61
3rd Hugh McCluggage 59
4th Josh Dunkley 56
5th Cam Rayner 53
6th Brandon Starcevich 53
7th Charlie Cameron 52
7th Joe Daniher 52
9th Oscar McInerney 50
10th Darcy Wilmot 49

How voting works

N/A

Past five winners

2022 Lachie Neale
2021 Dayne Zorko
2020 Lachie Neale
2019 Lachie Neale
2018 Dayne Zorko
Harris Andrews Brisbane
Getty Images

Carlton - John Nicholls Medal

Blues full-back Jacob Weitering has won his second Carlton best-and-fairest award ahead of fellow defender Nic Newman.

Weitering, who also clinched the award in 2020, finished well ahead of Newman, with Coleman Medallist Charlie Curnow in third.

Leaderboard

Ranking Player Votes
1st  Jacob Weitering 210
2nd Nic Newman 193
3rd Charlie Curnow 174
4th Adam Cerra 167
5th Patrick Cripps 158
6th Blake Acres 153
7th Sam Docherty 152
8th Adam Saad 149
9th Sam Walsh 143
10th Mitch McGoven 108

How voting works

The John Nicholls Medal is voted on by senior coach Michael Voss and three assistants giving each player up to four votes at the end of every round, meaning a maximum of 16 votes is awarded to any single player per round.

Past five winners

2022 Patrick Cripps
2021 Sam Walsh
2020 Jacob Weitering
2019 Patrick Cripps
2018 Patrick Cripps

Collingwood - E. W. Copeland Trophy

Wingman Josh Daicos has received the E.W Copeland Trophy for his consistent season in the Magpies midfield. 

The 24-year-old pipped brother Nick Daicos and defender Brayden Maynard, who finished equal second for their strong efforts. 

It's a prestigious achievement for Josh, who led Collingwood in total metres gained and kicks in 2023. 

Leaderboard

Ranking Player Votes
1st  Josh Daicos 301
2nd Nick Daicos & Brayden Maynard 287
4th Tom Mitchell 283
5th Scott Pendlebury 282
6th Isaac Quaynor 267
7th Jack Crisp 258
8th Brody Mihocek 254
9th Darcy Moore 253
10th Jordan De Goey 249

How voting works

N/A

Past five winners

2022 Jack Crisp
2021 Jack Crisp
2020 Taylor Adams
2019 Brodie Grundy
2018 Brodie Grundy/Steel Sidebottom
Nick Daicos Josh Collingwood
Getty Images

Essendon - Crichton Medal

Bombers midfielder Zach Merrett has taken out a fourth Crichton Medal after yet another impressive season in 2023.

In his first year as skipper, Merrett finished ahead of Kyle Langford and Mason Redman in the minor placings.

Leaderboard:

Ranking Player Votes
1st  Zach Merrett 211
2nd Kyle Langford 191
3rd Mason Redman 163
4th Andrew McGrath 160
5th Jordan Ridley 150
6th Nic Martin 146
7th Jye Caldwell 142
8th Darcy Parish 137
9th Sam Durham 120
10th Dyson Heppell 114

How voting works

The voting system consists of five coaches, giving each player a ranking from zero to five after each match. Players can receive a maximum of 25 votes for a game

Past five winners

2022 Peter Wright
2021 Zach Merrett
2020 Jordan Ridley
2019 Zach Merrett
2018 Devon Smith

Fremantle - Doig Medal

Fremantle has named star midfielder Caleb Serong its 2023 Doig Medallist, after an impressive season in which he led all players for total disposals. 

Serong joins fellow onballer Andrew Brayshaw, who won in 2022, as a Dockers best and fairest winner at 22 years of age. 

Leaderboard

Ranking Player Votes
1st Caleb Serong 222
2nd Andrew Brayshaw 179
3rd Luke Ryan 167
4th Luke Jackson 158
5th Sam Switkowski & Lachie Schultz 139
7th Alex Peace 134
8th Brennan Cox 117
9th Michael Frederick 112

How voting works

From Fremantle in 2022, "Following each game, Senior Coach Justin Longmuir and four coaches – Josh Carr, Matthew Boyd, Jaymie Graham and Joel Corey – allocated up to five votes to each player based on how they performed their role, meaning a player can receive up to 25 votes in a game for an elite performance."

Past five winners

2022 Andrew Brayshaw
2021 Sean Darcy
2020 Luke Ryan
2019 Nat Fyfe
2018 Lachie Neale

Geelong - Carji Greeves Medal

Geelong backman Tom Stewart has taken out his second club best and fairest, winning in a wide margin from Tom Atkins.

Gryan Miers filled out the podium in a season in which the reigning premiers missed the top eight.

Leaderboard:

Ranking Player Votes
1st  Tom Stewart 135
2nd Tom Atkins 105
3rd Gryan Miers 93
4th Zach Guthrie 87
5th Jeremy Cameron 69
6th Mark Blicavs 67
7th Brad Close 66
8th Patrick Dangerfield 62
9th Tom Hawkins 59
10th Isaac Smith 57

How voting works

After each game, the Senior and assistant coaches review and rate each players performance out of 10. Votes are polled in games where a player's performance has been deemed of a high quality by the coaching group. And unlike previous seasons, all matches are counted towards their final total.

Past five winners

2022 Jeremy Cameron, Cameron Guthrie
2021 Tom Stewart
2020 Cameron Guthrie
2019 Patrick Dangerfield
2018 Mark Blicavs

Gold Coast - Club Champion

Gold Coast midfielder Noah Anderson has won his first Club Champion award at the Suns, after an outstanding fourth season.

Anderson led Gold Coast in total disposals and score involvements, as he played all available games in a consistent year. 

Noah Anderson Gold Coast
Getty Images

Leaderboard:

Ranking Player Votes
1st  Noah Anderson 590
2nd Sam Collins 563
3rd Matt Rowell 559
4th Charlie Ballard 453
5th Jarrod Witts 451
6th Jack Lukosius 442
7th Darcy Macpherson 436
8th David Swallow 434
9th Wil Powell 391
10th Ben Ainswerth 361

How voting works

Voting is conducted by Gold Coast's four-man match committee.

An unlimited number of players can receive votes, but a player can only be given a maximum of 10 from each voting member, meaning they can get a maximum of 40 for a match.

Last five winners

2022 Touk Miller
2021 Touk Miller
2020 Sam Collins
2019 Jarrod Witts
2018 Jarrod Harbrow

GWS - Kevin Sheedy Medal

For the second time in his career, Toby Greene was awarded the Kevin Sheedy Medal.

Another standout season from the Giants skipper saw him finish ahead of Stephen Coniglio and Tom Green in equal-second place.

Leaderboard:

Ranking Player Votes
1st  Toby Greene 71
2nd Stephen Coniglio & Tom Green 66
4th Lachie Whitfield 61
5th Josh Kelly 58
6th Connor Idun 54
7th Jack Buckley 53
8th Sam Taylor 46
9th Brent Daniels 42
10th Lachie Ash 41

How voting works

Per GWS Giants: Under a new voting system this season, line coaches rated their respective players after each game from a pre-determined performance scale.

All line coaches then met to determine an overall rating for each player before submitting to head coach Adam Kingsley who allocated up to six (6) votes for each player.

Last five winners

2022 Sam Taylor
2021 Josh Kelly
2020 Nick Haynes and Lachie Whitfield
2019 Tim Taranto
2018 Lachie Whitfield 

Hawthorn - Peter Crimmins Medal

Hawks talent Will Day has pipped Jai Newcombe to his first best-and-fairest award, with unheralded midfielder Conor Nash in third.

All-Australian defender James Sicily finished fifth.

Leaderboard

Ranking Player Votes
1st  Will Day 125
2nd Jai Newcombe 123
3rd Conor Nash 114
4th James Worpel 110
5th James Sicily 101
6th Dylan Moore 93
7th Jarman Impey 91
8th Karl Amon 86
9th Blake Hardwick 78
10th Luke Breust 416

How voting works

From Hawthorn: Votes for the 2022 Peter Crimmins Medal were awarded by three groups after each home-and-away match; Senior Coach Sam Mitchell, one card between Line Coaches David Hale, Robert Harvey, Chris Newman and one card between Senior Assistant Adrian Hickmott and Head of Development Andrew Collins.  

A maximum of 12 votes can be accumulated by a player after the four voting cards are submitted using the following grading system: three votes to the best player/s, two votes for a significant influence on the game, one vote to player/s who played their role or beat their opponent. On rare occasions a player/s may receive four votes for an exceptional game.

Last five winners

2022 James Sicily
2021 Tom Mitchell
2020 Jack Gunston
2019 James Worpel
2018 Tom Mitchell

Melbourne - Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Trophy

Midfield bull Christian Petracca has won the Keith 'Bluey" Truscott Trophy for 2023 as Melbourne's best and fairest. 

The 27-year-old finished with 602 votes, ahead of fellow onballer Jack Viney (527) in second. Petracca kicked 28 goals this season and averaged 27.8 disposals per game this season.

Leaderboard

Ranking Player Votes
1st  Christian Petracca 602
2nd Jack Viney 527
3rd Jake Lever 456
4th Angus Brayshaw 453
5th Steven May 451
6th Alex Neal-Bullen 450
7th Kysaiah Pickett 444
8th Max Gawn 426
9th Judd McVee 424
10th Trent Rivers 416

How voting works

N/A

Last five winners

2022 Clayton Oliver
2021 Clayton Oliver
2020 Christian Petracca
2019 Clayton Oliver/Max Gawn
2018 Max Gawn
Christian Petracca Melbourne
Getty Images

North Melbourne - Syd Barker Medal

Harry Sheezel claimed North Melbourne's best and fairest award, becoming the first rookie to receive the honour in the AFL since 1997.

He edged out key forward Nick Larkey, who scored 71 goals in 2023.

Despite being drafted as a medium forward, 18-year-old Sheezel shifted to a defensive-oriented role, collecting more than 30 disposals on 12 separate occasions. 

Leaderboard

Ranking Player Votes
1st  Harry Sheezel 197
2nd Nick Larkey 173
3rd Bailey Scott 140
4th Luke Davies-Uniacke 131
5th Jake Ziebell 112
6th Tarryn Thomas 101
7th Ben McKay 98
8th Cameron Zurhaar 90
9th Liam Shiels 90
10th Jy Simpkin 88

How voting works

Per North Melbourne: The voting system consists of each player earning up to 20 votes in a match, with votes from all home and away games counting towards the final total. The senior and assistant coaches provide separate votes for each player per round, ranging from 0-10. One vote means a player played their role, and 10 votes denotes an exceptional performance.

Last five winners

2022 Jy Simpkin
2021 Jy Simpkin
2020 Luke McDonald
2019 Ben Cunnington
2018 Shaun Higgins

Port Adelaide - John Cahill Medal

Power midfielder Zak Butters has clinched the John Cahill Medal from fellow onballer Connor Rozee.

All-Australian Dan Houston finished on the podium, while Willem Drew was a surprise fourth position.

Leaderboard

Ranking Player Votes
1st  Zak Butters 190
2nd Connor Rozee 170
3rd Dan Houston 158
4th Willem Drew 115
5th Aliir Aliir 113
6th Sam Powell-Pepper 104
7th Jason Horne-Francis 97
8th Miles Bergman 90
9th Darcy Byrne-Jones 89
10th Ollie Wines 86

How voting works

Voting system: N/A

Last five winners

2022 Connor Rozee
2021 Ollie Wines
2020 Darcy Byrne-Jones
2019 Travis Boak
2018 Justin Westhoff

Richmond - Jack Dyer Medal

Inside midfielder Tim Taranto has taken out the Jack Dyer Medal in his first season in yellow and black, capping an excellent season. 

The hardworking ex-Giant led the Tigers in disposals, tackles, and clearances as he made an instant impact in the Richmond midfield. 

Fan-favourites Dustin Martin and Shai Bolton finished second and third respectively in the voting. 

Leaderboard

Ranking Player Votes
1st Tim Taranto 68
2nd Dustin Martin 54
3rd Shai Bolton 50
4th Nick Vlastuin 46
5th Daniel Rioli 45
6th Liam Baker 44
6th Noah Balta 43
8th Dion Prestia 42
9th Kamdyn McIntosh & Nathan Broad 30

How voting works

Voting system: the match committee gives players a rating from 0-5 based on their overall match performance, taking into account offensive, defensive and contest impacts.

Last five winners

2022 Tom Lynch
2021 Dylan Grimes
2020 Jayden Short
2019 Dion Prestia
2018 Jack Riewoldt

St Kilda - Trevor Barker Award

Jack Sinclair has won back-to-back Trevor Barker Medals, becoming only the 13th Saint to win the best-and-fairest award in consecutive seasons.

The All-Australian half-back managed to hold out Callum Wilkie in second, while ruckman Rowan Marshall was also on the podium.

Emerging talents Mitchito Owens and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera rounded out the top five.

Leaderboard

Ranking Player Votes
1st  Jack Sinclair 237
2nd Callum Wilkie 228
3rd Rowan Marshall 205
4th Mitchito Owens 172
5th Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera 164
6th Brad Crouch 142
6th Brad Hill 142
8th Jack Higgins 119
9th Jack Steele 118
10th Josh Battle 115

How voting works

Five coaches give a ranking from one to four after each match, with players being able to receive a maximum of 20 votes per game.

Last five winners

2022 Jack Sinclair
2021 Jack Steele
2020 Jack Steele
2019 Seb Ross
2018 Jack Steven

Sydney - Bob Skilton Medal

Sydney young gun Errol Gulden claimed a maiden Bob Skilton Medal in a runaway victory.

After a late-season run which saw him challenge for the Brownlow Medal, Gulden was the obvious choice to win Sydney's B&F and he took out the award well clear of Nick Blakey and James Rowbottom.

Leaderboard

Ranking Player Votes
1st  Errol Gulden 738
2nd Nick Blakey 481
3rd James Rowbottom 471
4th Luke Parker 456
5th Chad Warner 453
6th Oliver Florent 448
7th Jake Lloyd 430
8th Callum Mills 426
9th Tom Papley 411
10th Harry Cunningham 392

Last five winners

2022 Callum Mills
2021 Luke Parker
2020 Jake Lloyd
2019 Dane Rampe
2018 Jake Lloyd

How voting works

Club Champion votes are awarded by the coaching staff. A player can be awarded a maximum of 50 votes per game, and coaches can allocate up to 10 votes for as many or as few players as they deem appropriate, per match.

West Coast - John Worsfold Medal

Tim Kelly is the John Worsfold Medallist in 2023, after a strong year in the West Coast midfield. 

The 29-year-old led the Eagles in disposals, goal assists, and clearances as he took control of an injury-struck, young on-ball unit. 

Leaderboard

Ranking Player Votes
1st  Tim Kelly 200
2nd Oscar Allen 163
3rd Liam Duggan 158
4th Jayden Hunt 116
5th Shannon Hurn 102
6th Bailey Williams 101
7th Andrew Gaff 85
8th Alex Witherden 84
9th Tom Barrass & Noah Long 79

How voting works

Each member of the five-person match committee rates every player on a scale of 0-3 after each match.

Last five winners

2022 Tom Barrass
2021 Nic Naitanui
2020 Nic Naitanui
2019 Luke Shuey
2018 Elliot Yeo

Western Bulldogs - Charles Sutton Medal

Bulldogs superstar Marcus Bontempelli has won a fifth best and fairest for the club, as he closes in on Scott West's record of seven.

Tom Liberatore finished runner-up for the second consecutive year, while Ed Richards rounded out the top three.

Leaderboard

Ranking Player Votes
1st  Marcus Bontempelli 342
2nd Tom Liberatore 278
3rd Ed Richards 193
4th Caleb Daniel 190
5th Liam Jones 172
6th Adam Treloar 165
7th Tim English 160
8th Bailey Dale 152
9th Aaron Naughton 141
10th Jamarra Ugle-Hagan 128
Marcus Bontempelli Western Bulldogs
Getty Images

How voting works

Each member of the five-person match committee rates every player on a scale of 0-5 after each match.

Last five winners

2022 Josh Dunkley
2021 Marcus Bontempelli
2020 Caleb Daniel
2019 Marcus Bontempelli
2018 Lachie Hunter

Bryn Wakefield

Bryn Wakefield Photo
Bryn is a content producer for Sporting News, covering AFL and Australian Rules Football. Based in Adelaide, South Australia, he has thrived in the passionate sporting city, desperate for ultimate success despite its underdog tag.