We've reached the midway point of the 2023 AFL season, which means it's time to dish out awards for the best-performing players to date.
The opening half of the year has offered plenty of thrills and spills, with each club forging an identity as we begin to work through the final stretch of this season's premiership race.
Individuals have stuck their necks out in contention for particular awards, and here we detail who may be leading the honours as we turn to the second half of the season.
Without further ado, we name our Brownlow Medal winner, Rising Star winner, Most Improved Player, Recruit of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Coach of the Year from the first half of the 2023 season.
Rising Star
Harry Sheezel (North Melbourne)
Gold Coast Suns midfielder Bailey Humphrey's unforeseen rise could make this discussion a contentious one come the end of the season, but as it pertains to our mid-season Rising Star recipient, it's near impossible to go past North Melbourne's Harry Sheezel.
The prodigious Roo has played a multitude of positional roles under Alastair Clarkson and Brett Ratten, and he has played each one of them with aplomb. Whether he's been tasked with breaking lines across half-back, snagging sausages up forward, or simply winning clearances at centre bounces, Sheezel has handled each of his rookie outings with a rare aura of class, providing Kangaroos supporters with a glimpse into his fruitful future at Arden Street.
Midfielder
Disposals
Tackles
Clearances
Meanwhile, Will Ashcroft, who has fit in seamlessly at Brisbane alongside household midfield occupants Lachie Neale, Hugh McCluggage and Josh Dunkley, can consider himself an unlucky runner-up, as he, too, has exceeded first-year expectations by employing his wide array of skills.
