Sydney Swans co-captain Callum Mills has polled eight votes from the coaches for the AFL Coaches Association Gary Ayres Award following the Swans victory over Collingwood in the Preliminary Final.
Mills tied with Collingwood's Jack Crisp in polling eight votes, while fellow Swans Luke Parker, Tom Papley and Lance Franklin also polled votes.
Mills starred with a team high 27 disposals, 13 kicks, 10 contested possessions and five tackles during the one-point victory.
Parker finished with 23 disposals, five tackles and four inside-50s to claim 5 votes, Tom Papley had 3 goals, 16 disposals and seven inside-50s for 3 votes while Lance Franklin had two goals and 11 disposals for one vote.
VOTES - PLAYER (CLUB)
8 Jack Crisp (COLL)
8 Callum Mills (SYD)
5 Luke Parker (SYD)
3 Tom Papley (SYD)
3 Scott Pendlebury (COLL)
2 Darcy Moore (COLL)
1 Lance Franklin (SYD)
The AFL Coaches Association Gary Ayres Award is presented in recognition of the player who has been adjudged as the best player throughout the AFL Finals series, as voted by the coaches on a weekly basis throughout the duration of the AFL Finals Series.
Votes are issued after every game of the AFL Finals series by the competing coaches, with each coach providing their 5-4-3-2-1 for the match.
From 2022 any AFL Grand Final votes issued will receive 1.5 times loading.
ABOUT GARY AYRES
Gary Ayres was a member of 5 Hawthorn premiership teams – 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, and 1991 and is a two time Norm Smith Medallist, adjudged best on ground in 1986 and 1988.
Ayres coached 223 AFL games between 1995 and 2004: 116 with Geelong and 107 with Adelaide.
