Nominees for AFL Awards announced

With the home and away season officially done and finals footy on the horizon, so to is the AFL Awards season.

The AFL Awards night is set to get underway on Wednesday, with the shortlist for four awards announced on Sunday.

Each club votes on a shortlist for Best First Year Player, Most Courageous, and MVP, with captains from all eighteen clubs automatically nominated for the Best Captain Award.

The awards are decided by a competition-wide vote, with players unable to vote for their nominated teammates.

Rising Star favourite Nick Daicos got the nod from his Collingwood teammates for the Best First Year Player award, while Josh Gibcus and Nic Martin were also recognised.

Paddy McCartin was voted as Most Courageous at the Swans following his comeback from several concussions, with Sam Docherty also getting the nod from the Blues after his return from a battle with testicular cancer.

Adelaide 

Best Captain – Rory Sloane
Best First Year Player – Jake Soligo
Most Courageous – Ned McHenry
MVP – Jordan Dawson, Rory Laird, Taylor Walker

Brisbane 

Best Captain – Dayne Zorko
Best First Year Player – Kai Lohmann
Most Courageous – Noah Answerth
MVP – Charlie Cameron, Hugh McCluggage, Lachie Neale

Carlton 

Best Captain – Patrick Cripps
Best First Year Player – Jesse Motlop
Most Courageous – Sam Docherty
MVP – Charlie Curnow, Patrick Cripps, Sam Walsh

Collingwood 

Best Captain – Scott Pendlebury
Best First Year Player  – Nick Daicos
Most Courageous – Brayden Maynard
MVP – Jack Crisp, Jeremy Howe, Nick Daicos

Essendon

Best Captain – Dyson Heppell
Best First Year Player  – Nic Martin
Most Courageous – Jayden Laverde
MVP – Mason Redman, Peter Wright, Zach Merrett

Fremantle

Best Captain – Nathan Fyfe
Best First Year Player – Neil Erasmus
Most Courageous – Hayden Young
MVP – Andrew Brayshaw, Brennan Cox, Will Brodie

Geelong 

Best Captain – Joel Selwood
Best First Year Player – Oliver Dempsey
Most Courageous – Tom Atkins
MVP – Jeremy Cameron, Mark Blicavs, Tom Hawkins

Gold Coast 

Best Captain – Jarrod Witts, Touk Miller
Best First Year Player – Mac Andrew
Most Courageous – David Swallow
MVP – Jarrod Witts, Touk Miller, Sam Collins

GWS Giants 

Best Captain – Josh Kelly, Toby Greene, Stephen Coniglio
Best First Year Player – Finn Callaghan
Most Courageous – Harry Perryman
MVP – Sam Taylor, Stephen Coniglio, Toby Greene

Hawthorn 

Best Captain – Ben McEvoy
Best First Year Player – Connor MacDonald
Most Courageous – Blake Hardwick
MVP – Dylan Moore, Jai Newcombe, James Sicily

Melbourne 

Best Captain – Max Gawn
Best First Year Player – Jacob Van Rooyen
Most Courageous – Jack Viney
MVP – Angus Brayshaw, Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver

North Melbourne 

Best Captain – Jack Ziebell
Best First Year Player – Paul Curtis
Most Courageous – Luke McDonald
MVP – Ben McKay, Jy Simpkin, Luke Davies-Uniacke

Port Adelaide 

Best Captain – Tom Jonas
Best First Year Player – Jase Burgoyne
Most Courageous – Tom Jonas
MVP – Connor Rozee, Sam Powell-Pepper, Todd Marshall

Richmond 

Best Captain – Dylan Grimes, Toby Nankervis
Best First Year Player – Josh Gibcus
Most Courageous – Liam Baker
MVP – Dion Prestia, Liam Baker, Shai Bolton

St Kilda 

Best Captain – Jack Steele
Best First Year Player – Marcus Windhager
Most Courageous – Daniel McKenzie
MVP – Callum Wilkie, Jack Sinclair, Jack Steele

Sydney 

Best Captain – Callum Mills, Dane Rampe, Luke Parker
Best First Year Player – Matthew Roberts
Most Courageous – Paddy McCartin
MVP – Callum Mills, Chad Warner, Isaac Heeney

West Coast 

Best Captain – Luke Shuey
Best First Year Player – Brady Hough
Most Courageous – Tom Barrass
MVP – Jack Redden, Shannon Hurn, Tom Barrass

Western Bulldogs 

Best Captain – Marcus Bontempelli
Best First Year Player – Robbie McComb
Most Courageous – Josh Dunkley
MVP – Aaron Naughton, Marcus Bontempelli, Tom Liberatore