Marcus Bontempelli and Nick Daicos have split two of the AFL's prestigious individual honours in a pointer to how tight one of the most highly anticipated Brownlow Medal counts in recent memory could be.
Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli claimed the Leigh Matthews Trophy as the AFL Players Association's MVP, ahead of Carlton star Patrick Cripps and Sydney's Isaac Heeney.
But the AFL Coaches Association champion player of the year award went to Collingwood gun Daicos, also ahead of Cripps and Heeney.
The honours were bestowed upon the pair at the AFL Awards ceremony in Melbourne on Thursday night.
Bontempelli, Daicos and Cripps, the 2022 winner, are among the leading Brownlow contenders this season, along with Heeney and the Brisbane Lions' two-time winner Lachie Neale.
Daicos polled coaches votes in 16 of his 23 games this season, including a maximum 10 votes on five separate occasions.
Bontempelli was also named best captain by the AFLPA, with Port Adelaide star Zak Butters the most courageous player and West Coast sensation Harley Reid the best first-year player.
Reid was ineligible for the league's Rising Star award - won by Geelong's Ollie Dempsey - because he served a two-match suspension for a dangerous tackle mid-season.
North Melbourne's prolific Harry Sheezel won the AFLCA's best young player award, which recognises players based on performances over their first two seasons.
AFL PLAYERS MVP:
1. Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs)
2. Patrick Cripps (Carlton)
3. Isaac Heeney (Sydney)
4. Nick Daicos (Collingwood)
5. Jesse Hogan (GWS)
AFL COACHES CHAMPION PLAYER:
1. Nick Daicos (Collingwood) - 117 votes
2. Patrick Cripps (Carlton) - 113 votes
3. Isaac Heeney (Sydney) - 112 votes
4. Caleb Serong (Fremantle) - 100 votes
5. Lachie Neale (Brisbane) - 97 votes