Two midfielders have taken an early lead in our Finals MVP running following the opening week of the 2024 AFL finals series.
Star Swan Isaac Heeney, who featured prominently in our regular season MVP race to finish fifth overall after leading for most of the season, polled a perfect 20 votes for his heroic performance in Saturday's thrilling qualifying final win over GWS.
Hawks hard-nut Jai Newcombe also came away from his side's September opener with 20 votes to his name after playing a leading role in Friday's win over the Western Bulldogs in front of close to 98,000 fans.
Brisbane veteran Dayne Zorko and Geelong speedster Max Holmes sit equal third on 18 votes each after the first week of finals action, with Zorko's teammate Hugh McCluggage just behind the pair with 17 votes to round out the top five.
Young midfielder Will Ashcroft was the next higher vote-getter from Brisbane's demolition of the Blues on Saturday night, while Harris Andrews, Lachie Neale and Cameron Rayner were among the players to also poll in the win.
Thursday's qualifying final between Port Adelaide and Geelong has seen first-year Cat Shaun Mannagh come into sixth on our MVP leaderboard, playing a damaging role at half-forward for Chris Scott only to be beaten by Holmes in the voting.
Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield and star forward Jeremy Cameron came away from the 84-point hammering with 11 votes each to be two of five players sitting in eighth spot.
Hawthorn rookie Calsher Dear is one of those following his starring performance in attack, with skipper James Sicily narrowly ahead of him in the voting with 13 votes after a big role down back against the Dogs.
Sydney duo Tom Papley and Jake Lloyd also managed to poll 11 votes each in supporting roles under Heeney, with Chad Warner among the Swans players to poll in their six-point win over the Giants.
Our finals MVP follows the same format of voting as the home and away season. However, voting on the grand final will be worthย double.
Port Adelaide vs Geelong
Mitch Keating | Frank Seal | Aidan Cellini | Nick Splitter | |
5 | Shaun Mannagh | Max Holmes | Shaun Mannagh | Max Holmes |
4 | Max Holmes | Patrick Dangerfield | Max Holmes | Shaun Mannagh |
3 | Jeremy Cameron | Jeremy Cameron | Patrick Dangerfield | Jeremy Cameron |
2 | Patrick Dangerfield | Shaun Mannagh | Jeremy Cameron | Patrick Dangerfield |
1 | Zach Guthrie | Zach Guthrie | Tyson Stengle | Gryan Miers |
Western Bulldogs vs Hawthorn
Mitch Keating | Frank Seal | Aidan Cellini | Nick Splitter | |
5 | Jai Newcombe | Jai Newcombe | Jai Newcombe | Jai Newcombe |
4 | James Sicily | James Sicily | Nick Watson | James Sicily |
3 | Calsher Dear | Calsher Dear | Calsher Dear | Lloyd Meek |
2 | Jack Scrimshaw | Lloyd Meek | Lloyd Meek | Calsher Dear |
1 | Jack Ginnivan | Karl Amon | James Sicily | Massimo D'Ambrosio |
Sydney vs GWS
Mitch Keating | Frank Seal | Aidan Cellini | Nick Splitter | |
5 | Isaac Heeney | Isaac Heeney | Isaac Heeney | Isaac Heeney |
4 | Tom Papley | Chad Warner | Jake Lloyd | Tom Green |
3 | Jake Lloyd | Tom Papley | Tom Papley | James Peatling |
2 | Tom Green | Jake Lloyd | James Peatling | Jake Lloyd |
1 | James Peatling | Callan Ward | Jack Buckley | Tom Papley |
Brisbane vs Carlton
Mitch Keating | Frank Seal | Aidan Cellini | Nick Splitter | |
5 | Dayne Zorko | Hugh McCluggage | Dayne Zorko | Hugh McCluggage |
4 | Hugh McCluggage | Dayne Zorko | Will Ashcroft | Dayne Zorko |
3 | Harris Andrews | Will Ashcroft | Hugh McCluggage | Harris Andrews |
2 | Lachie Neale | Lachie Neale | Lachie Neale | Patrick Cripps |
1 | Cameron Rayner | Cameron Rayner | George Hewett | Cameron Rayner |
LEADERBOARD
PLAYER | |||
---|---|---|---|
1 | Jai Newcombe |
20 | 20 |
1 | Isaac Heeney |
20 | 20 |
3 | Dayne Zorko |
18 | 18 |
3 | Max Holmes |
18 | 18 |
5 | Hugh McCluggage |
17 | 17 |
6 | Shaun Mannagh |
16 | 16 |
7 | James Sicily |
13 | 13 |
8 | Jeremy Cameron |
11 | 11 |
8 | Patrick Dangerfield |
11 | 11 |
8 | Calsher Dear |
11 | 11 |
8 | Tom Papley |
11 | 11 |
8 | Jake Lloyd |
11 | 11 |