Max Gawn named the AFL Coaches’ Association Player of the Year ahead of Patrick Cripps

MELBOURNE big man Max Gawn has been crowned this season’s best player by the AFL’s senior coaches, continuing a remarkable a year for the game’s star ruckmen.

MELBOURNE big man Max Gawn has been crowned this season’s best player by the AFL’s senior coaches, continuing a remarkable a year for the game’s star ruckmen.

Gawn, 26, won the Coaches’ Association player of the year award on 97 votes, ahead of Carlton clearance king Patrick Cripps (91) and Hawthorn ball magnet Tom Mitchell (88).

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The fast-finishing Gawn stormed home, polling 17 of a maximum 20 votes in the Dees’ two final-round wins over West Coast and Greater Western Sydney, on Sunday.

The imposing big man is the first ruckman to win the award and the first man in the history of the game to notch 1000 hitouts for the season.

Max Gawn celebrates a goal with Angus Brayshaw.

He looms as a key to the Demons’ flag aspirations as they prepare to play their first final in 12 years in a cut-throat eliminator against the Cats at the MCG next Friday night.

Gawn is also an $8 second-favourite to win the Brownlow Medal with TAB.

Mitchell, who is the $1.45 Brownlow Medal favourite, let the AFLCA award lead slip, polling only one vote in the last two contests against St Kilda and Sydney.

Collingwood ruckman and Herald Sun player of the year Brodie Grundy finished fourth (82).

Three midfielders, Melbourne’s Clayton Oliver, Western Bulldogs Jack Macrae and Brisbane’s Dayne Beams were all tied on 72 votes.

Last year’s winner Richmond’s Dustin Martin finished in equal ninth with Giant Lachie Whitfield on 70 votes. Essendon’s Dyson Heppell rounded out the top-10.

Gawn averaged 46 hit-outs, 16 possessions and five marks a game in a career-best 2018.