Josh Worrell leads Gary Ayres Award polling after opening finals round

Adelaide defender Josh Worrell stands as the outright leader of the AFLCA's Gary Ayres Medal following the qualifying and elimination finals. Worrell earned 10 votes for his performance in the elimination final against the Western Bulldogs, where he recorded a total of 19 intercept possessions. This tally marks the highest number of intercept possessions ever recorded in a final. He currently sits one vote ahead of Hawthorn’s Josh Battle and James Sicily, alongside Geelong’s Patrick Dangerfield and Shaun Mannagh, who each polled nine votes. Sydney players Tom Papley, Logan McDonald, and Errol Gulden received eight votes each for their performance against Brisbane. The award, which recognizes the best player throughout the finals series, will apply a 1.5 times multiplier to votes earned during the Grand Final. The AFLCA board plans to review the voting system for the 2027 season, specifically regarding the exclusion of wildcard matches from the award total.

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