Tom McCartin and Errol Gulden have polled votes in this week's coaches votes after week one of finals. Despite a six-point defeat on Friday night the two players were recognised for their performance. 

McCartin earned five votes for role in defence on Friday and finished the game with 18 disposals and nine marks.

The defender was instrumental to applying pressure in Carlton's forward 50 and allowed Sydney to fight back in the last quarter.

Gulden nabbed two votes for another consistent performance to end the season, with 23 disposals and two goals at the final siren. 

The AFL Coaches Association Gary Ayres Award is presented in recognition of the player who has been adjudged as the best player throughout the AFL Finals series, as voted by the coaches on a weekly basis throughout the duration of the AFL Finals Series. 

Gary Ayres was a member of five Hawthorn premiership teams – 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, and 1991 - and is a two-time Norm Smith Medallist, adjudged best on ground in 1986 and 1988.

Ayres coached 223 AFL games between 1995 and 2004: 116 with Geelong and 107 with Adelaide.