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.
Offensive Player of the Year
As we've come to expect as his career has progressed, Jeremy Cameron has again been utterly dominant this season for the Cats. Astounding averages of 3.2 goals per game and 8.4 score involvements speak for themselves and have kept Geelong's score ticking. As Tom Hawkins' career begins to wind down, a bigger reliance is likely to be placed on ‘Jezza's shoulders, however, judging by what we've seen in 2023, that won't present as much of an obstacle for the left-footed power forward.
Forward
Disposals
Marks
Goals
While Cameron has been superb, Carlton's Charlie Curnow is neck-and-neck with the star Cat's 3.2 goals per game average. Curnow has been more than a dependable forward-50 target for the Blues, managing 7.8 score involvements per game and helping offset the sometimes-wayward form of Harry McKay. Curnow has been as consistent in front of goal as Carlton fans could possibly hope for, while his contested marking (2.8 per game, trailing only Charlie Dixon's 2.9) and athleticism continue to be a delight to witness.
Another Cameron, this time Brisbane's Charlie, has also put forth a tremendous half-season of play and is unfortunate to be overlooked for this award. ‘King Charles' has been unequivocally damaging in front of the sticks this season, particularly for a smaller forward. His 2.9 goals per game, an outstanding feat, is only narrowly shy of the aforementioned Jeremy Cameron and Curnow. Cameron's score involvements is an area of improvement (ranking 46th in the AFL), but it's unfair to ask too much of him, as he doesn't possess the same domineering physical presence as that of the key-position giants of the competition.
