Introducing the Zero Hanger Most Valuable Player Award!

Four members from our team - Ben Cotton (Chief Editor), Mitch Keating (Deputy Editor), Ed Lemmo (Digital Producer) and Nick Splitter (Digital Manager) will vote 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 for the best players on the ground for every match of the season.

From there, the votes will be collated to decide the MVP, with a live leaderboard to be updated on the site.

Check out the votes below for Round 1 of the 2021 AFL season.

Richmond vs. Carlton

Who else but Dusty? The three-time Norm Smith medallist dominated this game with 31 possessions, seven marks and two goals (131 AFL Fantasy, 158 SuperCoach) to poll perfect 20 votes.

Elsewhere, Sam Walsh, Jack Graham and Sam Walsh were also prominent after busy nights at the office.

Ben Cotton: 5. D Martin, 4. S Walsh, 3. J Graham, 2. J Short, 1. J Riewoldt
Mitch Keating: 5. D Martin, 4. S Edwards, 3. S Walsh, 2. J Graham, 1. J Riewoldt
Ed Lemmo: 5. D Martin, 4. S Walsh, 3. J Graham, 2. J Short, 1. J Riewoldt
Nick Splitter: 5. D Martin, 4. J Graham, 3. S Bolton, 2. S Walsh 1. J Short

Collingwood vs. Western Bulldogs 

It was a great night to be a Bulldog and particularly Bailey Smith, who had one of the best outings of his young career, racking up 36 disposal and eight marks and booting two goals (131 AFL Fantasy, 123 SuperCoach).

Jack Macrae was also everywhere, while Darcy Moore battled hard all night in defence for Collingwood with 12 marks, six of those contested.

Ben Cotton: 5. B Smith, 4. J Macrae, 3. D Moore, 2. B Williams, 1. L Hunter
Mitch Keating: 5. B Smith, 4. D Moore, 3. S Martin, 2. J Macrae , 1. B Williams
Ed Lemmo: 5. B Smith, 4. J Macrae, 3. D Moore, 2. L Hunter, 1. S Martin
Nick Splitter: 5. B Smith, 4. J Macrae, 3. S Pendlebury, 2. B Williams, 1. S Martin

SEE ALSO: Zero Hanger's Round 1 AFL Power Rankings

Melbourne vs. Fremantle

A funny old match at the MCG with the votes spread pretty evenly across the park.

Clayton Oliver (35 disposals, 107 AFL Fantasy, 122 SuperCoach) and Tom McDonald (18 disposals, nine marks, two goals, 110 AFL Fantasy, 94 SuperCoach) were the two standouts where we sat.

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Ben Cotton: 5. T McDonald, 4. C Oliver, 3. C Perracca, 2. S May, 1. A Brayshaw
Mitch Keating: 5. T McDonald, 4. C Oliver, 3. E Langdon, 2. A Brayshaw, 1. N Fyfe
Ed Lemmo: 5. C Oliver, 4. A Brayshaw, 3. E Langdon, 2. C Petracca, 1. T McDonald
Nick Splitter: 5. C Oliver, 4. E Langdon, 3. T McDonald, 2. A Cerra, 1. J Lever

Adelaide vs. Geelong

Taylor Walker was huge for the Crows with a game-high five goals in Adelaide's shock upset win over the Cats.

Rory Sloane (20 disposals, 85 AFL Fantasy, 119 SuperCoach) and Rory Laird (27 disposals, 119 AFL Fantasy, 102 SuperCoach) were also busy for Adelaide.

Ben Cotton: 5. T Walker, 4. R Laird, 3. L Sholl, 2. I Smith 1. J Rowe
Mitch Keating: 5. T Walker, 4. L Sholl, 3. R Laird, 2. B Keays, 1. B Parfitt
Ed Lemmo: 5. R Sloane, 4. R Laird, 3. T Walker, 2. B Parfitt, 1. P Dangerfield
Nick Splitter: 5. Sloane, 4. T Walker, 3. R Laird, 2. B Parfitt, 1. I Smith

Essendon vs. Hawthorn

Tom Mitchell stepped up for the Hawks in the second half to help lead them to victory, leading all disposal getters on the weekend with 39 (106 AFL Fantasy, 135 SuperCoach).

Andrew McGrath was Essendon's best with 33 disposals and 11 tackles (141 AFL Fantasy, 133 SuperCoach).

Ben Cotton: 5. T Mitchell, 4. A McGrath, 3. H Morrison, 2. Z Merrett, 1. J Caldwell
Mitch Keating: 5. T Mitchell, 4. W Day, 3. H Morrison, 2. A McGrath, 1. Z Merrett
Ed Lemmo: 5. T Mitchell, 4. A McGrath, 3. Z Merrett, 2. B McEvoy, 1. J Caldwell
Nick Splitter: 5. T Mitchell, 4. W Day, 3. A McGrath, 2. D Moore, 1. J Caldwell

SEE ALSO: Zero Hanger's Round 1 Team of the Week 

Brisbane vs. Sydney

The Lions had no answer for Rising Star nominee Errol Gulden (19 disposals, 10 marks. three goals, 108 AFL Fantasy, 139 SuperCoach) and Callum Mills (29 disposals, eight marks, two goals 121 AFL Fantasy, 154 SuperCoach), who both came up big in the Swans' upset win.

Ben Cotton: 5. E Gulden, 4. C Mills, 3. L Parker, 2. I Heeney, 1. T Hickey
Mitch Keating: 5. E Gulden, 4. C Mills, 3. I Heeney, 2. L Parker, 1. D Zorko
Ed Lemmo: 5. C Mills, 4. J Lyons, 3. L Parker, 2. D Rich, 1. I Heeney
Nick Splitter: 5. C Mills, 4. E Gulden, 3. D Zorko, 2. I Heeney, 1. J Rowbottom

North Melbourne vs. Port Adelaide

It was a Travis Boak masterclass at Marvel Stadium on Sunday afternoon, running riot on the young Roos with 27 disposals in just 71% on ground (109 AFL Fantasy, 160 SuperCoach).

Jaidyn Stephenson was also super in his North Melbourne debut with a career-high 33 disposals, while Orazio Fantasia bagged five goals in his first game for the Power.

Ben Cotton: 5. T Boak, 4. J Stephenson, 3. O Fantasia, 2. O Wines, 1. S Motlop
Mitch Keating: 5. T Boak, 4. O Wines, 3. L Davies-Uniacke, 2. J Stephenson, 1. O Fantasia
Ed Lemmo: 5. O Wines, 4. T Boak, 3. J Stephenson, 2. L Davies-Uniacke 1. O Fantasia
Nick Splitter: 5. T Boak, 4. O Fantasia, 3. O Wines, 2. R Gray, 1. J Stephenson

GWS vs. St Kilda

The wet conditions didn't bother Tim Membrey, who bagged three goals to poll 19 votes from our team.

Jack Billings (30 disposals, 100 AFL Fantasy, 114 SuperCoach) and Harry Perryman 26 disposals (101 AFL Fantasy, 104 SuperCoach) also put in big performances.

Ben Cotton: 5. T Membrey, 4. H Perryman, 3. T Taranto, 2. J Billings, 1. S Ross
Mitch Keating: 5. T Membrey, 4. H Perryman, 3. T Taranto, 2. J Billings, 1. S Ross
Ed Lemmo: 5. J Billings, 4. T Membrey, 3. T Taranto, 2. J Gresham, 1. H Perryman
Nick Splitter: 5. T Membrey, 4. J Gresham, 3. H Clark, 2. M Flynn, 1. T Taranto

West Coast vs. Gold Coast

Jack Bowes (30 disposals, 14 marks, 135 AFL Fantasy) and Tim Kelly (28 disposals, 111 AFL Fantasy, 114 SuperCoach) caught our eyes in West Coast's narrow win over the Suns.

Oscar Allen booted a career-high four goals as he embarks on a breakout season.

Ben Cotton: 5. J Bowes, 4. D Sheed, 3. O Allen, 2. T Kelly, 1. S Hurn
Mitch Keating: 5. T Kelly, 4. O Allen, 3. J Bowes, 2. D Sheed, 1. D Swallow
Ed Lemmo: 5. T Kelly, 4. O Allen, 3. D Sheed, 2. J Bowes, 1. S Hurn
Nick Splitter: 5. T Kelly, 4. T Barrass, 3. J Bowes, 2. O Allen, 1. D Sheed

2021 ZERO HANGER MVP LEADERBOARD

RANK TEAM PLAYER VOTES
1 HAW Tom Mitchell 20
2 RICH Dustin Martin 20
3 WB Bailey Smith 20
4 PORT Travis Boak 19
5 STK Tim Membrey 19
6 MELB Clayton Oliver 18
7 SYD Callum Mills 18
8 ADEL Taylor Walker 17
9 WCE Tim Kelly 17
10 WB Jack Macrae 15