The Zero Hanger 2023 MVP Award will be decided in the final round of the home and away season, with Western Bulldogs gun Marcus Bontempelli to carry a 13-vote lead into Round 24.
Bontempelli polled six votes over the recent weekend to extend his buffer over Melbourne's Christian Petracca, who remains the only player in reaching distance of Bontempelli despite failing to poll a vote against Hawthorn on Sunday.
Bontempelli's efforts against the Eagles, albeit in a shock defeat, have placed him in prime position to join Oliver Wines (2021), Patrick Cripps and Touk Miller (both 2022) as winners of our MVP Award.
A minimum of seven votes against Geelong this coming weekend will be enough for Bontempelli to claim the 2023 award, while eight votes will guarantee the Dogs skipper the honour as a sole victor.
Over the course of Round 23, five players polled a perfect game, with Port Adelaide's Zak Butters moving further up the order after amassing 20 votes against Fremantle.
Reminder: Votes are given out in a 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 system for each game, meaning the maximum number of votes any player can record in any game is 20.
The Lions have kept the race for the minor premiership open with their interstate win over Collingwood as Brisbane co-captain Lachie Neale led his side to a strong win.
Neale came away from the victory with 20 votes and was accompanied by teammates Josh Dunkley, Dayne Zorko and Charlie Cameron in also polling a heap of votes.
Collingwood's Scott Pendlebury managed to poll 15 votes in the defeat, while fellow Magpie Josh Daicos managed the sole vote as well.
| Mitch Keating | Ed Carmine | Jack Jovanovski | Nick Splitter | |
| 5 | Lachie Neale | Lachie Neale | Lachie Neale | Lachie Neale |
| 4 | Scott Pendlebury | Scott Pendlebury | Josh Dunkley | Scott Pendlebury |
| 3 | Dayne Zorko | Josh Dunkley | Scott Pendlebury | Josh Dunkley |
| 2 | Cameron Rayner | Charlie Cameron | Charlie Cameron | Charlie Cameron |
| 1 | Keidean Coleman | Cameron Rayner | Oscar McInerney | Josh Daicos |
While it was an occasion to celebrate club greats Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt, it was another in Dustin Martin that stood tall against the Kangaroos.
Martin was unanimously voted as the best player in the 29-point win, while Shai Bolton closely followed with 16 votes of his own. Ruckman Toby Nankervis was another Tiger to feature among all voters, while the rest were polled by Roos.
Midfielder Tarryn Thomas and rookie Harry Sheezel led the charge for North Melbourne, while Nick Larkey managed three votes for his efforts in front of goal.
| Mitch Keating | Ed Carmine | Jack Jovanovski | Nick Splitter | |
| 5 | Dustin Martin | Dustin Martin | Dustin Martin | Dustin Martin |
| 4 | Shai Bolton | Shai Bolton | Shai Bolton | Shai Bolton |
| 3 | Tarryn Thomas | Tarryn Thomas | Tarryn Thomas | Nick Larkey |
| 2 | Harry Sheezel | Harry Sheezel | Toby Nankervis | Tarryn Thomas |
| 1 | Toby Nankervis | Toby Nankervis | Harry Sheezel | Toby Nankervis |
Carlton spearhead and likely Coleman Medal winner Charlie Curnow was influential in the Blues' narrow win over Gold Coast that saw Michael Voss' men secure a return to finals action.
Curnow was pivotal in the Blues' attacking third, either kicking goals or assisting them with his elite field kicking before the key forward moved behind the ball to claim a crucial contested grab.
Teammates Nic Newman and George Hewett also had a say in extending Carlton's winning run, while Suns duo David Swallow and San Flanders did their best to end it.
| Mitch Keating | Ed Carmine | Jack Jovanovski | Nick Splitter | |
| 5 | Charlie Curnow | Charlie Curnow | Sam Flanders | Charlie Curnow |
| 4 | David Swallow | David Swallow | Charlie Curnow | Nic Newman |
| 3 | Sam Flanders | Sam Flanders | Nic Newman | Sam Flanders |
| 2 | Nic Newman | Nic Newman | David Swallow | Noah Anderson |
| 1 | Ben Ainsworth | George Hewett | George Hewett | George Hewett |
GWS were emphatic at home to notch up a club-record 126-point victory over Essendon, who can now bid farewell to a finals return.
Giants forward Jesse Hogan booted nine goals and took 17 marks to be the standout for the home side, while midfielder Tom Green was dominant in the engine room.
To no surprise, no Bombers polled votes as Lachie Whitfield, Harrison Himmelberg, Stephen Coniglio, Brent Daniels and Callan Ward all featured.
| Mitch Keating | Ed Carmine | Jack Jovanovski | Nick Splitter | |
| 5 | Jesse Hogan | Jesse Hogan | Jesse Hogan | Jesse Hogan |
| 4 | Tom Green | Tom Green | Tom Green | Tom Green |
| 3 | Lachie Whitfield | Lachie Whitfield | Harrison Himmelberg | Stephen Coniglio |
| 2 | Brent Daniels | Callan Ward | Callan Ward | Harrison Himmelberg |
| 1 | Harrison Himmelberg | Harrison Himmelberg | Stephen Coniglio | Lachie Whitfield |
The Saints have cemented their place in the top eight in Ross Lyon's first season back at Moorabbin, with usual suspects Rowan Marshall, Jack Sinclair and Callum Wilkie leading the charge against the Cats.
The trio polled 20, 16 and 12 votes respectively to be unanimously seen as the top three for the game, while Brad Hill, Jack Steele and Mason Wood would also feature.
Geelong's Tom Stewart was the Cats player to poll in the loss, managing one vote.
| Mitch Keating | Ed Carmine | Jack Jovanovski | Nick Splitter | |
| 5 | Rowan Marshall | Rowan Marshall | Rowan Marshall | Rowan Marshall |
| 4 | Jack Sinclair | Jack Sinclair | Jack Sinclair | Jack Sinclair |
| 3 | Callum Wilkie | Callum Wilkie | Callum Wilkie | Callum Wilkie |
| 2 | Bradley Hill | Jack Steele | Jack Steele | Mason Wood |
| 1 | Jack Steele | Mason Wood | Tom Stewart | Jack Steele |
A thrilling contest ended in controversy for the Crows, who have now missed out on a September showing due to the loss.
Swan Errol Gulden was seen as the best afield, while teammates Isaac Heeney and Nick Blakey also managed to poll votes.
The Crows came away from the defeat with a number of vote-getters, including Rory Laird, Jake Soligo, Jordan Dawson and Matt Crouch.
| Mitch Keating | Ed Carmine | Jack Jovanovski | Nick Splitter | |
| 5 | Isaac Heeney | Errol Gulden | Errol Gulden | Errol Gulden |
| 4 | Errol Gulden | Rory Laird | Rory Laird | Rory Laird |
| 3 | Nick Blakey | Isaac Heeney | Jake Soligo | Isaac Heeney |
| 2 | Rory Laird | Jordan Dawson | Isaac Heeney | Jordan Dawson |
| 1 | Jake Soligo | Nick Blakey | Matt Crouch | Jake Soligo |
Arguably the upset of the season, with West Coast putting the Bulldogs on the brink of missing out on finals thanks to a thrilling seven-point win.
Midfielder Tim Kelly was influential, finding plenty of the ball and assisting five goals directly. He helped feed forward pair Oscar Allen and Jamie Cripps to notch up a third win of the year.
The Dogs weren't short of strong performers despite the loss, with MVP leader Marcus Bontempelli joined by Tim English and Adam Treloar in polling votes.
| Mitch Keating | Ed Carmine | Jack Jovanovski | Nick Splitter | |
| 5 | Tim Kelly | Tim Kelly | Jamie Cripps | Tim Kelly |
| 4 | Jamie Cripps | Oscar Allen | Oscar Allen | Jamie Cripps |
| 3 | Oscar Allen | Jamie Cripps | Adam Treloar | Tim English |
| 2 | Marcus Bontempelli | Adam Treloar | Marcus Bontempelli | Marcus Bontempelli |
| 1 | Adam Treloar | Tim English | Tim English | Oscar Allen |
While unable to poll a vote against the Hawks, Demon Christian Petracca remains in the race for the MCP crown with one round remaining.
Teammates Jake Lever, Max Gawn, Trent Rivers, Jack Viney and Jake Melksham all polled votes to cement Melbourne's top four placing in Round 23.
Hawk Connor MacDonald was the only player from Sam Mitchell's side to poll, amassing two votes.
| Mitch Keating | Ed Carmine | Jack Jovanovski | Nick Splitter | |
| 5 | Jake Lever | Jake Lever | Trent Rivers | Jake Lever |
| 4 | Max Gawn | Trent Rivers | Jake Lever | Max Gawn |
| 3 | Trent Rivers | Max Gawn | Jake Melksham | Trent Rivers |
| 2 | Jake Melksham | Jake Melksham | Max Gawn | Jake Melksham |
| 1 | Connor MacDonald | Jack Viney | Connor MacDonald | Jack Viney |
Power star Zak Butters led his side over the line against the Dockers to conclude Round 23 and keep Port Adelaide's hopes of a top two finish intact.
Butters led from the offset and would earn 20 votes for his efforts, while fellow onballer Ollie Wines would also poll strongly.
Fremantle would find vote-getters in Caleb Serong, Liam Henry and Lachie Schultz, while Aliir Aliir and Dylan Williams would also feature for the Power.
| Mitch Keating | Ed Carmine | Jack Jovanovski | Nick Splitter | |
| 5 | Zak Butters | Zak Butters | Zak Butters | Zak Butters |
| 4 | Ollie Wines | Ollie Wines | Ollie Wines | Ollie Wines |
| 3 | Caleb Serong | Caleb Serong | Liam Henry | Caleb Serong |
| 2 | Lachlan Schultz | Liam Henry | Dylan Williams | Dylan Williams |
| 1 | Dylan Williams | Aliir Aliir | Caleb Serong | Aliir Aliir |
| PLAYER | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marcus Bontempelli | 6 | 228 |
| 2 | Christian Petracca | 0 | 215 |
| 3 | Nick Daicos | 0 | 197 |
| 4 | Errol Gulden | 19 | 183 |
| 4 | Lachie Neale | 20 | 183 |
| 6 | Tim Taranto | 0 | 180 |
| 7 | Zak Butters | 20 | 168 |
| 8 | Jordan Dawson | 4 | 163 |
| 8 | Caleb Serong | 10 | 163 |
| 10 | Toby Greene | 0 | 161 |
FULL LEADERBOARD CAN BE SEEN HERE