The AFL Coaches Association's AFL Champion Player Award is voted by the 18 coaching panels on a 5,4,3,2,1 basis after each home and away game. It acknowledges outstanding effort by an individual player in a season.
A player can receive a maximum of 10 votes.
The player with the most votes at the end of the home and away season will be crowned the AFL Coaches' Association Champion Player of the Year.
Previous winners include Bailey Smith (Geelong), Noah Anderson (Gold Coast), Nick Daicos (Collingwood), Zak Butters (Port Adelaide), Touk Miller (Gold Coast), Clayton Oliver (Melbourne) and Lachie Neale (Brisbane).
The award was first handed out in 2003 when Collingwood champion Nathan Buckley was the recipient.
Below are the round-by-round votes for the 2026 season leaderboard.
2026 AFLCA Leaderboard
| Votes | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Christian Petracca | Gold Coast |
| 10 | Ed Richards | Western Bulldogs |
| 10 | Jake Stringer | GWS |
| 10 | Justin McInerney | Sydney |
| 10 | Nick Daicos | Collingwood |
| 8 | Bailey Humphrey | Gold Coast |
| 8 | Errol Gulden | Sydney |
| 7 | Clayton Oliver | GWS |
| 6 | Charlie Cameron | Brisbane |
| 6 | Finn Callaghan | GWS |
| 6 | Jack Sinclair | St Kilda |
| 5 | Isaac Heeney | Sydney |
| 5 | Stephen Coniglio | GWS |
| 4 | John Noble | Gold Coast |
| 4 | Jordan De Goey | Collingwood |
| 4 | Josh Daicos | Collingwood |
| 4 | Lachie Neale | Brisbane |
| 4 | Touk Miller | Gold Coast |
| 3 | Bailey Williams | Western Bulldogs |
| 3 | Rory Lobb | Western Bulldogs |
| 3 | Sam Collins | Gold Coast |
| 3 | Sam Walsh | Carlton |
| 3 | Tom McCartin | Sydney |
| 2 | Dan Houston | Collingwood |
| 2 | Harris Andrews | Brisbane |
| 2 | Isaac Quaynor | Collingwood |
| 2 | Joe Fonti | GWS |
| 2 | Scott Pendlebury | Collingwood |
| 1 | Chad Warner | Sydney |
| 1 | Connor Budarick | Western Bulldogs |
| 1 | Ryan Lester | Brisbane |
| 1 | Wil Powell | Gold Coast |
Opening Round Votes
Sydney v Carlton
| Votes | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Justin McInerney | Sydney |
| 8 | Errol Gulden | Sydney |
| 5 | Isaac Heeney | Sydney |
| 3 | Tom McCartin | Sydney |
| 3 | Sam Walsh | Carlton |
| 1 | Chad Warner | Sydney |
Gold Coast v Geelong
| Votes | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Christian Petracca | Gold Coast |
| 8 | Bailey Humphrey | Gold Coast |
| 4 | John Noble | Gold Coast |
| 4 | Touk Miller | Gold Coast |
| 3 | Sam Collins | Gold Coast |
| 1 | Wil Powell | Gold Coast |
GWS v Hawthorn
| Votes | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Jake Stringer | GWS |
| 7 | Clayton Oliver | GWS |
| 6 | Finn Callaghan | GWS |
| 5 | Stephen Coniglio | GWS |
| 2 | Joe Fonti | GWS |
Brisbane v Western Bulldogs
| Votes | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Ed Richards | Western Bulldogs |
| 6 | Charlie Cameron | Brisbane |
| 4 | Lachie Neale | Brisbane |
| 3 | Rory Lobb | Western Bulldogs |
| 3 | Bailey Williams | Western Bulldogs |
| 2 | Harris Andrews | Brisbane |
| 1 | Connor Budarick | Western Bulldogs |
| 1 | Ryan Lester | Brisbane |
St Kilda v Collingwood
| Votes | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Nick Daicos | Collingwood |
| 6 | Jack Sinclair | St Kilda |
| 4 | Jordan De Goey | Collingwood |
| 4 | Josh Daicos | Collingwood |
| 2 | Scott Pendlebury | Collingwood |
| 2 | Dan Houston | Collingwood |
| 2 | Isaac Quaynor | Collingwood |
