Collingwood star Nick Daicos has been acknowledged by his peers as the best player in the competition, being awarded the prestigious Leigh Matthews Trophy as the AFL Players’ Most Valuable Player.

Daicos, 22, becomes the youngest winner since former St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt in 2004 and the fourth youngest in the coveted award’s history.

It comes after he was runner-up in 2023 and placed fourth last season, while he is the first Collingwood player to claim the award since Dane Swan in 2010.

Daicos was presented the award at the industry-wide AFL Awards on Thursday night, edging out Adelaide captain Jordan Dawson and St Kilda young gun Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera who finished second and third respectively.

The midfielder averaged 30 disposals across his 23 matches season, leading the competition, while he heads into finals with 16 goals and ranks in the top six players for inside 50s, clearances, and score assists.

It has Daicos as the $2.75 favourite to win this year’s Brownlow Medal, ahead of Geelong recruit Bailey Smith ($5) and Dawson ($5.50).

Daicos finished runner-up last year to dual winner Patrick Cripps with an incredible 38 votes.

“It’s a huge honour to be voted this year’s MVP,” Daicos said.

“There are so many impressive footballers in the game at the moment, people who I get to play both with and against, and the list of previous winners is quite an overwhelming group to join.

“I’m very grateful for what I get to do each week, and to be recognised by my fellow players.”

Alongside his runner-up placing in the MVP Award, Dawson was also voted Best Captain, winning from three-time MVP and Best Captain winner, Marcus Bontempelli, with Gold Coast’s Noah Anderson rounding out the top three in his first year in the leadership role.

Dawson becomes the third Crow to receive the Best Captain title from his peers after Mark Ricciuto (2005 and 2006) and Taylor Walker (2016 and 2017).

Brisbane Lion Josh Dunkley won the Robert Rose Most Courageous Player Award ahead of two-time Most Courageous recipient, Zak Butters, and Geelong’s Tom Atkins.

Dunkley joins Brisbane greats Michael Voss (2001) and Jonathan Brown (2007, 2008 and 2011) as Most Courageous recipients.

Earlier, Gold Coast Sun Brayden Fiorini and Sydney Swan Brodie Grundy were selected as joint winners of this year’s Education and Training Excellence Award.

The pair share the honour of being recognised for their respective commitment to their studies and development away from the field.

Leigh Matthews Trophy for the Most Valuable Player

1. Nick Daicos

2. Jordan Dawson

3. Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera

4. Marcus Bontempelli

5. Jeremy Cameron

Best Captain, presented by Chartered Accountants

1. Jordan Dawson

2. Marcus Bontempelli

3. Noah Anderson

4. Toby Greene

5. Harris Andrews

Best First-Year Player Award, presented by P3 Recovery

1. Murphy Reid

2. Levi Ashcroft

3. Harvey Langford

4. Alix Tauru

5. Finn O’Sullivan and Sam Davidson

Robert Rose Most Courageous Award, presented by Tackle Your Feelings

1. Josh Dunkley

2. Zak Butters

3. Tom Atkins

4. Tom Liberatore

5. Nick Vlastuin