Bailey Smith and Noah Anderson co-winners of AFLCA Champion Player of the Year award

The 2025 AFL Coaches’ Association Champion Player of the Year vote count has finished in a thrilling first-place tie, with a commanding final-game blitz from Gold Coast skipper Noah Anderson on Wednesday night seeing him share the award with Geelong star Bailey Smith.

Anderson and Smith each finished on 103 coaches votes to narrowly pip Suns on-baller Matt Rowell (97) in the award’s first tie since 2022 — when Touk Miller and Clayton Oliver shared the honour — and third overall. They were recognised and presented with their gongs at the AFL Awards night.

Collingwood’s Nick Daicos (96) — the 2024 AFLCA champion player — and Melbourne captain Max Gawn (92) rounded out the top five.

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Anderson entered the penultimate home and away round with 93 coaches votes — five ahead of Jordan Dawson and Rowell (88) and six ahead of Daicos and Smith (87) — before voting across the final two rounds was withheld from the public.

By the end of Round 23, Anderson was in a share of the lead with Smith on 94 votes. He polled just one vote against the Giants, while Smith collected seven in the Cats’ even win over Sydney at the SCG. Daicos polled six votes against Adelaide to take his tally to 93, while Dawson and Rowell were both awarded two (90) to ensure the top six players were only separated by four votes heading into the final round.

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With both Anderson and Rowell failing to poll against Port Adelaide in the Suns’ first Round 24 game, Daicos was given three votes for his performance in the Magpies’ tight win over Melbourne and took the lead on 96 votes. Dawson then didn’t poll against North Melbourne on the Saturday, ruling him out of contention.

But Smith’s brilliant game against Richmond (34 disposals, 10 inside 50s, 10 score involvements and 7 clearances) earned him nine votes and took his total to 103, moving him seven clear of Daicos and nine ahead of Anderson.

It meant the award came down to the final home and away game of the season between the Suns and Bombers.

And Anderson delivered, with a 34-disposal and three-goal performance not only powering the Suns to their first finals appearance in club history, but also earning Anderson nine votes to the top of the leaderboard alongside Smith.

Suns coach Damien Hardwick said Anderson’s impact in the Suns’ rise had been significant, adding his he’d handled his transition to the captaincy role “remarkably”.

“Noah has had a tremendous season on the field, largely off the back of his relentless pursuit to want to get better and help drive our football club to where we want to be. His ability to understand the game and play his moments has been a great example to those around him and we look forward to it continuing for many years to come,” Hardwick said.

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Geelong coach Chris Scott said Smith, who was traded from the Bulldogs just under 12 months ago, had “an immediate impact on and off the field” in his first year at the Cats.

“He is a fierce competitor who has a great desire to get the best out of himself. He sets an example with his work rate and preparation which has enabled him to perform at a consistent level this season,” Scott said.

“To be recognised by the coaches with this award in his first season at a new club, after 12 months out of the game with injury, is a real credit to Bailey and the work he has put in.”

AFLCA chief executive Alister Nicholson said both Anderson and Smith were deserving winners.

“Noah and Bailey were absolute standouts across the 2025 season and a huge reason as to why their clubs find themselves in the position they do leading into finals,” Nicholson said.

“Noah has shown he is an emerging star of the competition with the way he can impact games through the midfield and Bailey has been instrumental in ensuring Geelong are one of the key contenders for the premiership again this year.”

All coaches vote on the award using a 5-4-3-2-1 system after each home and away game.

Shaun Mannagh of the Cats celebrates a goal. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images Source: Getty Images

Meanwhile, Shaun Mannagh’s remarkable footy journey reached new heights on Thursday night.

The Geelong mature-age recruit’s outstanding start to his AFL career was rewarded by being named AFLCA Best Young Player — an award that recognises players based on performances across their first two AFL seasons and is determined by the weekly coaches votes.

Mannagh, who turned 28 earlier this month, polled 35 votes to take out the award narrowly from North Melbourne’s Colby McKercher (32) and West Coast young gun Harley Reid (31).

Mannagh was drafted by Geelong with Pick 36 in 2023 after an outstanding VFL campaign for Werribee, which saw him kick 40.32 and average 25 touches from 21 games while also winning the Norm Goss Medal for the best player in the VFL grand final.

The hard-working small forward has hit the ground running at the Cats and been a key member of the team’s 2025 flag push, booting 28.19 and averaging 18.8 disposals, 6.9 score involvements and 4.8 tackles from 20 games this season.

“This award is great recognition for Shaun’s impressive first two seasons in the AFL,” Scott said.

“In his 32 games so far, Shaun has quickly become an important player for us and across this season he has again been one of our most consistent performers.”

2025 AFL COACHES’ ASSOCIATION CHAMPION PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD LEADERBOARD (every vote and full final leaderboard here)

=1. Noah Anderson (Gold Coast Suns) and Bailey Smith (Geelong Cats) — 103

3. Matt Rowell (Gold Coast Suns) — 97

4. Nick Daicos (Collingwood) — 96

5. Max Gawn (Melbourne) — 92

6. Jordan Dawson (Adelaide) — 90

7. Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs) – 89

=8. Zak Butters (Port Adelaide) and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (St Kilda) — 87

10. Ed Richards (Western Bulldogs) — 85

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