Josh Kennedy has started strongly in his pursuit of winning a second consecutive Gary Ayres Award for the best finals player in the eyes of the coaches.

The Swans captain received maximum votes after leading from the front in his side's elimination final win over Essendon at the SCG on Saturday afternoon.

Kennedy, the 2016 award winner, finished the match with 29 disposals, eight clearances and two goals against the Bombers to be one of only two players to receive maximum votes.

He now sits alongside West Coast's Luke Shuey at the top of the leaderboard after he was deemed best on ground following his after-the-siren winner in extra time.

Luke Parker was deemed the next best Swan on the field receiving eight votes after collecting 27 disposals, seven clearances and seven tackles.

Callum Sinclair (nine marks and three goals) and Dean Towers (14 disposals and three goals) each received five votes from the coaching staff. 

Richmond superstar Dustin Martin won the AFLCA Player of the Year for the home and away season and he continued his hot run of form with nine votes in the Tigers' huge win over Geelong.

Crows Brad Crouch and Eddie Betts, Tigers skipper Trent Cotchin, Swans vice-captain Luke Parker and Eagles star Jeremy McGovern are all next in line tied on eight votes.

Every round, the AFL coaches vote for the best players from their game. The coaches vote for five players, giving them a mark from 1-5. The maximum a player can score is 10 (with five votes from both coaches).

 

SYDNEY v ESSENDON
10 Josh Kennedy (Syd)
8 Luke Parker (Syd)
5 Callum Sinclair (Syd)
5 Dean Towers (Syd)
1 Lance Franklin (Syd)
1 Jake Lloyd (Syd)

GARY AYRES AWARD LEADERBOARD
10 Josh Kennedy (Syd)
10 Luke Shuey (WC)
9 Dustin Martin (Rich)
8 Eddie Betts (Adel)
8 Trent Cotchin (Rich)
8 Brad Crouch (Adel)
8 Jeremy McGovern (WC)
8 Luke Parker (Syd)
7 Nick Vlastuin (Rich)
6 Charlie Dixon (PA)