Ablett claims MVP honour

Updated September 12, 2012 07:39:39

Gold Coast captain Gary Ablett collected a record fourth Leigh Matthews Trophy after winning the AFL Players' Most Valuable Player award.

Ablett was voted by his fellow players as the best on ground in season 2012, polling 788 votes to finish ahead of Essendon skipper Jobe Watson (602) and Richmond's Trent Cotchin (495).

He previously won the award three years straight from 2007 through to 2009 while playing for Geelong.

Ablett said leading a younger, less successful club had helped him round his game.

"Being the captain up there, I've had to change a few things about how I've gone about football on the field and off the field," Ablett told reporters.

"There's no doubt that although I'm 28 now I'm going to keep trying to improve my game and hopefully help the team get a premiership."

The AFL Players' Association (AFLPA) used its annual awards night to reflect on the life and shock death of Port Adelaide midfielder John McCarthy.

AFLPA Chief executive Matt Finnis says there had been consideration given to cancelling the Most Valuable Player awards night altogether following the death of McCarthy in Las Vegas earlier this week.

But the AFLPA decided it was better to give players the chance to reflect on the 22-year-old together.

"We wondered whether this event should go ahead, we wondered whether it could ever be right to celebrate achievement on the field at the same time when football just doesn't seem so important," Finnis said.

"But the outpouring of tributes for John from players across the league reminded us that AFL players are a community, as well as colleagues and tonight is a night when we bring that community together.

"Tonight will be a sad night and a tough night, particularly for those who played with and against John.

"But it is a night where we support each other and where the strength and loyalty of all the AFL players will shine through."

AFLPA president Luke Ball says he was extremely proud of the way players from all clubs had sent heartfelt messages of support to McCarthy's family and friends.

"We players gather together in true heartbreak, with the loss of one of our own, John McCarthy," Ball said.

"The pain and loss felt by his family and friends puts our profession, our game and this finals series in perspective.

"Tonight I know I speak for the entire playing group when I say to the McCarthy family our hearts are breaking with you and you have the support of the entire AFL industry."

In keeping with the more subdued atmosphere, a planned red carpet arrivals ceremony was scratched.

The function opened with a minute's silence in honour of McCarthy, who spent four seasons with Collingwood, before joining the Power for the 2012 season.

In other awards presented, Watson was named the league's best captain and Greater Western Sydney's Jeremy Cameron took out the best first player award.

Geelong captain Joel Selwood shared the Robert Rose Most Courageous Award alongside West Coast's Beau Waters and St Kilda stalwart Lenny Hayes.

AAP/ABC

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, melbourne-3000, carrara-4211

First posted September 11, 2012 22:00:26

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AFL to honour Stynes with community award

Updated May 16, 2012 16:50:28

The AFL will award each season's most community-focused player with a new inaugural trophy named after late Melbourne champion Jim Stynes.

Stynes played 264 games for the Demons before serving as their president from 2008 until he passed away in March after a long battle with cancer.

Alongside Stynes' widow Sam, AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou announced the new award on Wednesday in conjunction with the Reach Foundation, Stynes' youth wellbeing charity.

"We are all indebted to Jim Stynes' memory and will forever be inspired by his contribution to Australian life that is matched by few in the history of the game," Demetriou said in a statement.

"This award is a joint initiative of the AFL and Reach and will recognise those AFL players that make outstanding contributions to the community and display the same values that accompanied Jim throughout his remarkable life.

"This award is a fitting tribute to Jim's boundless commitment to the broader community such as establishing the Reach Foundation and supporting numerous community initiatives during and after his playing career.

"Jim's achievements with Reach and countless other projects throughout the community have provided an extraordinary legacy that will continue to touch the lives of so many people."

The award will be presented on Brownlow Medal night with Sam Stynes, Demetriou, an AFL commissioner, a Reach representative on a selection panel to determine the inaugural winner.

Clubs will nominate candidates before the end of the season.

"This award is a wonderful tribute to Jim and a great way for Jim's legacy to live on," Stynes' successor and Demons president Don McLardy said in a statement.

"His contribution to the Melbourne Football Club and the broader community has been immeasurable.

"I know all Melbourne Football Club supporters will be immensely proud that an award of this significance has been created in Jim's honour."

The Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award will sit alongside the Jim Stynes Medal for the best Australian player in Australia v Ireland International Rules matches.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted May 16, 2012 16:50:28

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Swans great Kirk receives derby honour

Updated February 03, 2012 17:57:47

Former Sydney captain Brett Kirk has been honoured with the news the best on ground from the inaugural derby between the Swans and new AFL club Greater Western Sydney will win a medal named after him.

The news was revealed at a media launch to mark 50 days until the two teams meet in round one of the season at the Olympic stadium, leaving Kirk humbled.

"What an honour, very proud to be standing here today," he said.

"When I came to Sydney, my intention was to play one game of footy and to be standing here several years later, being bestowed such an honour, would never have been in my wildest dreams."

Kirk played 241 matches for the Swans in a career spanning from 1999 to 2010, and had a key role in the team's 2005 premiership win.

The 35-year-old, who was born in the Giants' catchment area in the southern New South Wales border city of Albury, says he is looking forward to AFL taking centre stage in Sydney when the first derby is contested on March 24.

"I think in years to come, this will turn into a great rivalry," he said.

"There's no doubt over the last couple of years there's been a lot of talk about territory and those sort of things but I think just for the people of Sydney to come along and choose their colours in a sense can only be good for the game up here."

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, sydney-2000

First posted February 03, 2012 17:56:34

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