On Wednesday night, the eyes of the football world will turn from the field of play to the red carpet, with an array of individual awards set to be bestowed on the competition's crรจme de la crรจme.
Although the Brownlow isn't up for grabs for until the last Monday in September, a series of prizes will be handed out this week, such as the league's MVP and the AFL Coaches Association's Champion Player of the Year.
Of course, no player plays the game for individual accolades, but these prizes still have a certain prestige and lustre and are sure to be celebrated approproately.
But while fans, coaches and peers alike will be getting right around the players that will take each trophy or medallion home, the manner in which each award has been adjudicated still leaves plenty to be desired.
From the pomp and circumstance of 'Charlie Night' to just how compromised the award has become, here are the pros and cons attatched to each of the Leigh Matthews Trophy (MVP), the AFLCA Player's Award and the Brownlow Medal.
AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year Award
Pro: Coach-voted
The AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Award is legitimised in the eyes of many due to the fact that the votes are dealt out by the men with the best seats in the house.
With those that move the magnets and call the shots in games pulling the trigger here, the best players on the ground should, feasibly, be earning the lion's share of the nominations in each fixture.
Con: Coach-voted
While seen as a net positive, this must also be seen as a net negative, as in the past, coaches appear to have let biases cloud their vision before handing in their votes of 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 each and every week.
The eagle-eyed will also tell you that it is clear that not all coaches take the process as seriously as others.
Leigh Matthews Trophy
Pro: Player-voted
Much like the coaches' gong, the MVP award holds weight for the league's many hundreds of players as the winner has been put on the podium by their peers.
Con: Player-voted
Still, akin to the previous award, again, not every player is likely to take the process as seriously as many of their teammates and rivals, with many AFL footballers admitting to not actually watching much football.
Brownlow Medal
Pros: Prestige and open bar
The league's night of nights is a great place for players, and their partners, to turn out dressed to the nines and drink on the league's dollar, and while the ceremony seems to get longer each year, the winner can always bank on the fact that they will be recalled for decades to come.
Con: Compromised
In recent decades, the Brownlow has been spruiked as being an award solely for midfielders. And those spouting this claim aren't wrong, after all, a defender hasn't won the award since 1993, an out-and-out ruckman the year prior, and any form of forward since Tony 'Plugger' Lockett tied with John 'The Rat' Platten in 1987.
Despite the fact a dude from Armaguard with Redwoods for forearms brings the votes in every year, the sanctity of what is inside the case is now up for debate after the umpire betting scandal of last season.
