Sydney Swans midfielder Luke Parker has been acknowledged as the competition's most courageous player for the second year running at tonight's AFL Players Association Awards.

Parker was announced as the worthy recipient during an official ceremony in Melbourne, the prolific midfielder accepting the honour in Sydney via a live video link from outside the SCG.

Parker had enjoyed an outstanding season, averaging 27 disposals across his 23 matches this year, this latest accolade going nicely with his All Australian honour awarded earlier this month.

Parker joins an illustrious list of gutsy players to have won the most courageous including Joel Selwood (Geelong), Jonathan Brown (Brisbane) and Glenn Archer (North Melbourne).

Sydney's own 'Captain Courageous' Paul Kelly won the award five times (1994-97, 2000) while Brett Kirk was a co-winner in 2006.

Also for the second year in a row, the Sydney Swans have unearthed the competition's best young talent.

Following in the footsteps of fellow QBE Sydney Swans Academy member Isaach Heeney, Mills collected the Best First Year Player Award.

It is the second significant award for the 19-year-old this season, having won the 2016 AFL Rising Star Award.

"I'm extremely honoured," Mills said.

"To win an award which is voted on by your peers is arguably one of the best awards you can presented with."

The awards for Most Courageous, Best First Year Player, Best Captain and the MVP are voted on by all AFL players in 3-2-1 system.  Players are not permitted to vote for their own teammates, but for players at the 17 other clubs.

Callum Mills has been rewarded for an outstanding season with the AFLPA Best First Year Award.

The AFLPA's '22under22' side (the best of the 22-year-olds and under) was also announced on Tuesday night, with Mills and Heeney both making the cut at half-back and half-forward respectively, Heeney named for the second consecutive time.

The major award - the AFLPA's Most Valuable Player (MVP) - of the night was taken out by Geelong's Patrick Dangerfield who tallied 1369 votes, ahead Adelaide's Rory Sloane (443 votes) and Richmond’s Dustin Martin (297 votes).

Parker was the best placed Swan, finishing fifth on 218 votes.

Parker, Josh Kennedy and Dane Rampe were nominated for the award, all three put forward as the most influential by teammates.