Nick Blakey and Joel Amartey have polled eight coaches votes each after Sydney's win over the Brisbane Lions. The pair were one of eight goal scorers on Saturday night to secure the 44-point victory and 2-0 start to the 2026 season.
Blakey scored the opening major of the match before proving crucial to the team's ball movement with 605 metres gained and 25 disposals. Meanwhile Amartey, was prolific on the scoreboard with five goals from 13 touches, seven score involvements and two tackles.
Tom McCartin closely followed with seven coaches votes, finishing the match with 10 intercept possessions and a career-high 27 disposals. The key defender also earned three coaches votes in Opening Round.
Last year's mature-age draftee Riley Bice has enjoyed a strong start to his second season, earning four coaches votes, followed by Isaac Heeney with two.
On the leaderboard McCartin sits in the top five alongside Justin McInerney with 10 coaches votes. Amartey, Blakey and Errol Gulden are also in the top 20 with eight votes.
VOTES PLAYER (CLUB)
8 Nick Blakey (SYD)
8 Joel Amartey (SYD)
7 Tom McCartin (SYD)
4 Riley Bice (SYD)
2 Isaac Heeney (SYD)
1 Jarrod Berry (BL)
The AFL Coaches Association’s AFL Champion Player Award is an award voted by the 18 coaching panels on a 5,4,3,2,1 basis after each home and away game, acknowledging outstanding effort by an individual player in a season.
