Sydney Swans forward Isaac Heeney led the way with nine votes for the AFL Coaches Association’s AFL Champion Player Award following Sydney’s Round nine victory over Collingwood at the SCG.

In his return from a hand injury, Heeney had a crucial impact in the clash, kicking three goals and gathering 22 disposals in the victory.

Swans’ Jake Lloyd (5), Callum Mills (4), Tom Hickey (3), Dane Rampe (2) and Hayden McLean (1) also polled votes following the clash.

SYDNEY SWANS V COLLINGWOOD VOTES PLAYER (CLUB)
9 Isaac Heeney (SYD)
5 Jake Lloyd (SYD)
5 Brayden Maynard (COLL)
4 Callum Mills (SYD)
3 Tom Hickey (SYD)
2 Dane Rampe (SYD)
1 Hayden McLean (SYD)
1 Will Hoskin-Elliott (COLL)

Following the clash, Longmire had praise for his forward.

"He was really sore last week. If he was feeling fit he certainly could've made a difference for us. But he needed the week off, his ankle was sore and he was banged up in a few areas," Longmire said. 

"We're just hopeful that he can stay like that. He's energetic, his workrate is fantastic, he's a class player.

"We had a couple of players that provided that energy, whether around the scramble or in the forward 50, and that allowed us to get back in the game, and Isaac with his class finishing certainly helps."

06:42

Match Highlights - Sydney Swans v Collingwood

See all the highlights from Sydney's 30-point victory over Collingwood at the SCG in Round Nine

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.

Hickey’s three votes continues to see the ruckman as the highest polling Sydney player on the leaderboard, with 28 votes.

LEADERBOARD
VOTES PLAYER CLUB
44        Hugh McCluggage       BL
42        Clayton Oliver MELB
40        Marcus Bontempelli   WB
38        David Mundy  FRE
36        Ollie Wines      PORT
35        Samuel Walsh CARL
34        Max Gawn       MELB
34        Touk Miller      GCFC
33        Jack Macrae    WB
33        Christian Salem           MELB
32        Dustin Martin  RICH
31        Tim Kelly         WCE
30        Mitch Duncan GEEL
30        Cameron Guthrie        GEEL
30        Jacob Hopper  GWS
29        Tom McDonald           MELB
29        Zach Merrett   ESS
29        Darcy Parish    ESS
28        Tom Hickey     SYD
28        Christian Petracca       MELB
28        Taylor Walker ADEL

01:27

Isaac Heeney - Post Match Interview

Isaac Heeney speaks after his strong contribution in a triumphant victory over Collingwood at the SCG.

The Carey-Bunton Medal recognises the best NSW-bred player in the AFL, with the medal will be awarded to the NSW player who records the most votes in the AFL Coaches Association’s Champion Player of the Year Award. The leaderboard after round one is below.

Heeney's nine votes sees the Swans forward move into fourth place with 13 votes. 

GWS Giants midfielder Jacob Jopper has moved to the top of the leaderboard, overtaking Taylor Walker, following his seven votes in round nine.

Carey-Bunton Medal Leaderboard - Round 9
30 Jacob Hopper (Leeton-Whitton) - GWS Giants (R9 7 votes v RIC)
28 Taylor Walker (North Broken Hill) – Adelaide
24 Callum Mills (Mosman) - Sydney Swans (R9 4 votes v COLL)
13 Isaac Heeney (Cardiff) - Sydney Swans (R9 9 votes v COLL)
10 Sam Wicks (Manly-Warringah) – Sydney Swans
9 Errol Gulden (UNSW-Eastern Suburbs) - Sydney Swans
8 Lachie Schultz ((Moama) – Fremantle
5 Braeden Campbell (Pennant Hills) – Sydney Swans
6 Jacob Koschitzke (Albury) – Hawthorn
5 Tom Hawkins (Finley) – Geelong
3 Matthew Flynn (Narrandera) - GWS Giants
3 Harry Perryman (Collingullie) - GWS Giants 
2 Jarrad Witts (Sydney University) – Gold Coast
2 Todd Marshall (Deniliquin) – Port Adelaide
2 Dane Rampe Sydney Swans (R9 2 votes v COLL)
1 Harry Cunningham (Turvey Park) - Sydney Swans
1 Isaac Smith (Cootamundra) – Geelong