. It is named in honour of
, when the league was still known as the Victorian Football League. The trophy was first awarded in
, and all previous VFLPA/AFLPA MVPs were retrospectively given the Matthews Trophy in
. It is awarded at a special
" award in the league. However, the voting system is completely different: the Brownlow Medal awards votes on a game-by-game basis, while Leigh Matthews Trophy awards a single vote based on the entire season. In particular, this has meant that key-position players have been more likely to win this award than the Brownlow Medal. For example,
, generally regarded as one of the league's all-time great key position players, never won the Brownlow, but won this honour twice.
as is the case with the Brownlow Medal. A league disciplinary suspension, which renders a player ineligible for the Brownlow, does not exclude a player from contention for the Matthews Trophy. In
, but was disqualified from the Brownlow because of a disciplinary suspension. However, McKernan won the AFLPA MVP award that season.
| Year | Player | Team |
| 2011 |
Chris Judd Christopher Dylan "Chris" Judd is a professional Australian rules footballer and current captain of the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
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CarltonThe Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
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| 2010 |
Dane Swan Dane Swan is an Australian rules footballer for Collingwood in the Australian Football League.Since 2007 Swan has emerged as one of the AFL's elite midfielders, winner of the prestigious Brownlow Medal in 2011 with a record tally of 34 votes...
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Collingwood The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
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| 2009 |
Gary Ablett, Jr.Gary Ablett, Jr. is a professional Australian rules football player and current captain of the Gold Coast Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
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GeelongThe Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
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| 2008 |
Gary Ablett, Jr.Gary Ablett, Jr. is a professional Australian rules football player and current captain of the Gold Coast Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
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GeelongThe Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
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| 2007 |
Gary Ablett, Jr.Gary Ablett, Jr. is a professional Australian rules football player and current captain of the Gold Coast Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
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GeelongThe Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
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| 2006 |
Chris Judd Christopher Dylan "Chris" Judd is a professional Australian rules footballer and current captain of the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
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West Coast The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
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| 2005 |
Ben Cousins Benjamin Luke "Ben" Cousins is a former Australian rules footballer, best known for his 270-game career with and in the Australian Football League ....
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West Coast The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
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| 2004 |
Nick Riewoldt Nick Riewoldt is an Australian rules footballer who is the current captain of the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League . He was the first draft selection in the 2000 AFL Draft.-Early life:...
|
St Kilda |
| 2003 |
Michael Voss Michael Voss is the senior coach of the Brisbane Lions Australian Football League team and a former professional Australian rules footballer....
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BrisbaneThe Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
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| 2002 |
Luke Darcy Luke Darcy is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the Western Bulldogs who now juggles roles in media and administration.-Early life:...
Michael VossMichael Voss is the senior coach of the Brisbane Lions Australian Football League team and a former professional Australian rules footballer....
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Western BulldogsThe Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
Brisbane LionsThe Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
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| 2001 |
Andrew McLeod Andrew Luke McLeod is a former Australian rules footballer for the Adelaide Football Club. He is the games record holder for Adelaide, having played 340 games....
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AdelaideThe Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Crows, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, playing in the Australian Football League ....
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| 2000 |
Anthony Koutoufides Anthony Koutoufides is a former Australian rules footballer with the Carlton Football Club. One of the most powerful and athletic players of all-time, he played in almost every position and was often called the prototype of the modern footballer.Of Greek and Italian descent, Koutoufides has been...
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CarltonThe Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
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| 1999 |
Shane Crawford Shane Barry Crawford is a former Australian rules footballer, having played for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League...
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HawthornThe Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
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| 1998 |
Wayne Carey Wayne Carey is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the North Melbourne and Adelaide Football Clubs in the Australian Football League ....
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North MelbourneThe North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
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| 1997 |
Robert Harvey Robert Jeffrey Harvey is a former Australian rules football player for the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League...
|
St Kilda |
| 1996 |
Corey McKernan Corey McKernan is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the North Melbourne Kangaroos and Carlton Blues in the Australian Football League...
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North MelbourneThe North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
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| 1995 |
Wayne Carey Wayne Carey is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the North Melbourne and Adelaide Football Clubs in the Australian Football League ....
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North MelbourneThe North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
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| 1994 |
Greg Williams |
CarltonThe Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
|
| 1993 |
Gary Ablett, Sr. |
GeelongThe Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
|
| 1992 |
Jason Dunstall Jason Hadfield Dunstall is a former Australian rules football player for the Hawthorn Football Club of the AFL. He is the third greatest goalkicker in the history of the VFL/AFL. Dunstall is regarded as one of the greatest full-forwards to have ever played, kicking 1254 goals, a feat only...
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HawthornThe Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
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| 1991 |
Jim StynesJames "Jim" Stynes OAM is an Irish former professional Australian rules footballer who is currently a businessman, philanthropist, writer, youth worker, qualified teacher and chairman of Melbourne Football Club since 2008....
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MelbourneThe Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
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| 1990 |
Darren Millane Darren "Pants" Millane was an Australian rules football player in the VFL/AFL for the Collingwood Football Club between 1984 and 1991.-AFL career:...
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Collingwood The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
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| 1989 |
Tim Watson Timothy Michael "Tim" Watson is a former Australian rules footballer and coach, sports journalist and media personality.He is notable for his long career at the Essendon Football Club as a player where he participated in several premiership teams...
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EssendonThe Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
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| 1988 |
Gerard Healy Gerard Healy is a former Australian rules footballer and commentator.Healy attended St Bede's College in Mentone, where he was the Senior Football Captain.-Melbourne Demons:...
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Sydney The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
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| 1987 |
Tony LockettAnthony Howard "Tony" Lockett is a former Australian rules football player. Lockett is the highest goal scorer in the history of the VFL/AFL with 1,360 goals in a career of 281 games, that commenced in 1983 with the St Kilda Football Club, and finished in 2002 with the Sydney Swans...
|
St Kilda |
| 1986 |
Paul Roos Paul Roos is a former Australian rules football player and coach in the VFL and Australian Football League.Playing the majority of his career with Fitzroy, Roos was one of the teams greats, captaining the side for a long time and was acknowledged as its best player for several seasons, being named...
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FitzroyThe Fitzroy Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Lions, is an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League on its inception in 1897...
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| 1985 |
Greg Williams |
GeelongThe Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
|
| 1984 |
Russell Greene Russell Greene is a former Australian rules footballer and member of the prestigious 300 game club.He was just sixteen when he made his VFL debut in 1974 for St Kilda. In 1980 he joined Hawthorn and was a key player during a successful decade for the club...
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HawthornThe Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
|
| 1983 |
Terry Daniher Terrence "Terry" John Daniher is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the South Melbourne and Essendon Football Clubs in the Australian Football League . Terry was also an Assistant Coach to the Essendon, Collingwood, St Kilda and Carlton Football Clubs. Terry's brothers, Neale,...
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EssendonThe Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
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| 1982 |
Leigh Matthews Leigh Raymond "Lethal Leigh" Matthews AM is a former player and coach of Australian rules football. He played for Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League from 1969 to 1985, coached Collingwood from 1986–1995, and coached the Brisbane Lions from 1999 to 2008...
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HawthornThe Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
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