Sydney Swans stars Adam Goodes, Ryan O’Keefe and Jude Bolton are in the running to be the AFLPA’s Most Valuable Player after receiving nominations for the prestigious award.
The trio have been nominated for the only AFL award determined by the players themselves, and will be vying to become the first Swan to be named the MVP since Gerard Healy in 1988.
The winner receives the Leigh Matthews Trophy which rewards the player who best embodies versatility, skill, leadership, respect for teammates and the opposition, and the ability to play under pressure.
In addition to being nominated for the MVP, Goodes is also in contention for the Best Captain award. Swans co-captain Jarrad McVeigh is also in the running for the award which recognises team captains for their strong leadership qualities.
Bolton has received the nod as the Swans player in contention for the Robert Rose Most Courageous Player award. The Swans have a long history in this category, with former Swans captains Paul Kelly (1994-1997, 2000) and Brett Kirk (2006) both previous winners of the award.
After being overlooked for an AFL Rising Star nomination, young defender Alex Johnson has been nominated by his peers for the league’s Best First Year Player award.
The winners will be announced on Monday September 12 at a ceremony at Melbourne’s Crown Palladium.
