Will Ashcroft wins second consecutive Gary Ayres Award at Grand Final

Will Ashcroft has won the Gary Ayres Award for best player in the finals series for the second consecutive year after his standout performance in the 2026 Toyota AFL Grand Final against Fremantle on September 26. He was recognized by coaches as the best player on the ground, contributing significantly in the final quarter. Ashcroft finished the match with a game-high 31 disposals and 12 disposals in the last term, driving the Lions to victory. He joins Dustin Martin as the only other player to achieve back-to-back wins of this prestigious award. Throughout the finals, Ashcroft polled a total of 27.5 votes, leading the voting ahead of Fremantle’s Caleb Serong and Luke Jackson.

• 6:42 AMAFL — Lions' Mr September does it again with second Gary Ayres award