A vintage Patrick Dangerfield performance has been appropriately rewarded, after the veteran put five goals past Carlton on Friday night.
His role in ending the Josh Fraser's first-year fairytale garnered him 20 votes in the Zero Hanger Finals MVP race, moving him into equal-second through two weeks.
James Sicily's starring role in Hawthorn's shock win over Fremantle was the other performance from the weekend to yield universal agreement from Zero Hanger's panellists.
Sicily was the pivotal man in Sam Mitchell's backline, as the side completely shut out Fremantle's high-powered three-headed monster that has racked up goals seemingly at will this season. 26 disposals, a game-high 12 intercept possessions, two contested clunks, seven score involvements and 579 metres gained, to boot, tell the story of the firebrand's special night.
Dependable All-Australian defender Jordan Clark was the only player from the Dockers to receive votes, after working hard all night, standing up to Hawthorn's physicality, and taking an absolute screamer in the process.
Crow Josh Worrell split best-on-ground honours with Izak Rankine after his historic night, while the plethora of front-half contributors Sydney boasted in their surprise domination of the Lions caused a sharing of the best-on-ground spoils in that match, too.
Bulldogs superstar Marcus Bontempelli received eight votes for his toiling in his side's elimination final loss. After 20 votes against Collingwood in the Wildcard Round, he tops the current ladder, but has only an eight-vote buffer ahead of the chasing pack, with no games left in his season.
After each match of the AFL Finals, Zero Hanger's panel, comprised of Mitch Keating, Aidan Cellini, Harrison McIlwaine and Jonty Ralphsmith, cast their 5-4-3-2-1 votes; the player with the most votes come September's end is crowned the Zero Hanger Finals MVP for season 2026.
The votes from Week 2 of the AFL Finals are as follows:
| Mitch Keating | Aidan Cellini | Harrison McIlwaine | Jonty Ralphsmith | |
| 5 | James Sicily | James Sicily | James Sicily | James Sicily |
| 4 | Nick Watson | Josh Battle | Josh Battle | Josh Battle |
| 3 | Josh Battle | Nick Watson | Nick Watson | Jordan Clark |
| 2 | Jordan Clark | Jordan Clark | Jordan Clark | Nick Watson |
| 1 | Dylan Moore | Dylan Moore | Dylan Moore | Will Day |
| Mitch Keating | Aidan Cellini | Harrison McIlwaine | Jonty Ralphsmith | |
| 5 | Patrick Dangerfield | Patrick Dangerfield | Patrick Dangerfield | Patrick Dangerfield |
| 4 | Oliver Wiltshire | Shaun Mannagh | Oliver Wiltshire | Oliver Wiltshire |
| 3 | Shaun Mannagh | Oliver Wiltshire | Shaun Mannagh | Shaun Mannagh |
| 2 | George Hewett | George Hewett | George Hewett | Gryan Miers |
| 1 | Gryan Miers | Bailey Smith | Gryan Miers | George Hewett |
| Mitch Keating | Aidan Cellini | Harrison McIlwaine | Jonty Ralphsmith | |
| 5 | Tom Papley | Logan McDonald | Tom Papley | Tom Papley |
| 4 | Errol Gulden | Tom Papley | Logan McDonald | Logan McDonald |
| 3 | Logan McDonald | Errol Gulden | Errol Gulden | Errol Gulden |
| 2 | Charlie Curnow | Charlie Curnow | Charlie Curnow | Charlie Curnow |
| 1 | James Rowbottom | Harry Cunningham | Harry Cunningham | Harry Cunningham |
| Mitch Keating | Aidan Cellini | Harrison McIlwaine | Jonty Ralphsmith | |
| 5 | Josh Worrell | Izak Rankine | Josh Worrell | Josh Worrell |
| 4 | Izak Rankine | Josh Worrell | Izak Rankine | Izak Rankine |
| 3 | Ed Richards | Marcus Bontempelli | Ed Richards | Wayne Milera |
| 2 | Marcus Bontempelli | Wayne Milera | Wayne Milera | Marcus Bontempelli |
| 1 | Wayne Milera | Ed Richards | Marcus Bontempelli | Jordan Dawson |
THE TOP 10 AFTER WEEK 2 OF THE AFL FINALS:
| RANK | PLAYER | LAST ROUND | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marcus Bontempelli |
8 | 28 |
| 2 | Sam Walsh |
0 | 20 |
| 2 | Patrick Dangerfield |
20 | 20 |
| 2 | James Sicily |
20 | 20 |
| 5 | Tom Papley |
19 | 19 |
| 5 | Josh Worrell |
19 | 19 |
| 7 | Izak Rankine |
17 | 17 |
| 8 | Logan McDonald |
16 | 16 |
| 9 | Arthur Jones |
0 | 15 |
| 9 | Josh Battle |
15 | 15 |
| 9 | Oliver Wiltshire |
15 | 15 |
