Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield has capped his drought-breaking premiership victory by claiming the Gary Ayres Award as the AFL's best finals player.
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Dangerfield was best on ground in Geelong's thumping preliminary final win over Brisbane and finished second in the Norm Smith Medal behind Isaac Smith in the grand final demolition of Sydney.
Votes for the award, presented by the AFL Coaches Association, were issued after every finals match by the competing coaches. Each provided 5-4-3-2-1 assessments, with grand final votes weighted 1.5 times greater than those for other finals.
Dangerfield's 12 votes in the decider from Cats coach Chris Scott and Swans counterpart John Longmire, only behind Smith's unanimous 15, were enough for him to win the award on 22 votes.
The veteran Cat had 26 disposals, six goal assists and nine clearances in the grand final.
He had previously received a perfect 10 votes for his preliminary final performance, when he had 28 disposals, eight clearances and two goals.
Collingwood's Jack Crisp was second on 16 votes, while Magpie Jordan De Goey, Brisbane's Lachie Neale and Smith finished with 15.
"Patrick's steely determination to win contests and his fierce desire to compete was on show during the preliminary final and on the biggest stage, grand final day," Ayres said in a statement.
"Patrick is a deserving winner."
Australian Associated Press
