GARY Ablett was last night voted the most valuable player in the league by his peers, winning the plaudit for consecutive seasons.

The Geelong midfielder won the players' vote resoundingly, gaining 1088 votes to Hawthorn's Lance Franklin (718 votes) and North Melbourne's Brent Harvey (440).

Tiger veteran Matthew Richardson (148 votes) and Carlton captain Chris Judd (140) rounded out the top five.

Joining Greg Williams, Wayne Carey and Michael Voss as a two-time winner, Ablett last night accepted the Leigh Matthews Trophy at a dinner held by the AFL Players Association at the Grand Hyatt.

After being presented the trophy by Matthews, Ablett said: "It's definitely something that means a lot to me and it's a very exciting award to win.

"Growing up, the biggest part you love about football is actually being out there on the field. So when you get out there, you're always trying to improve your game, and I just get out there and try to enjoy myself and if I play better footy, I do, and if I don't but I give it my best, that's all I can do."

Whether Ablett can win the Brownlow Medal after missing four matches with injury will be revealed in a fortnight. After the home-and-away rounds, he had accrued 503 disposals, 84 marks and an average of just under five tackles a game.

Cats captain Tom Harley thought Ablett's 2008 season had topped his excellent 2007 and at the function last night described his teammate's form leading up to his foot injury as "breathtaking".

"He had an amazing season last year and our best-and-fairest, I think he won it by a record amount. It's a pretty hard season to top. But if you can do that … he's probably done it this year. He's just a fantastic player," Harley said.

On the likelihood of Ablett winning the Brownlow this year, Harley said: "Tonight's about the AFLPA MVP, but he's got to be a chance, I'm sure he does. He's going to take a fair bit of chasing."

Harley said Ablett should have been leading the Brownlow Medal count by a "fair way" before he was injured in round 15 and "he's played some great footy since"

Brisbane Lions co-captain Jonathan Brown won the Robert Rose Award for most courageous player in the AFL, his 137 votes putting him ahead of Sydney warrior and skipper, Brett Kirk (127 votes), and Geelong's second-year wunderkind Joel Selwood (87 votes).

Fremantle's Rhys Palmer backed up the Rising Star honour he won last week by taking out the AFLPA's best first-year player, polling 252 votes to Hawk Cyril Rioli's 167 and Richmond's Trent Cotchin's 80.

Geelong's premiership skipper and association executive member Harley was voted the best captain ahead of Judd, and Kirk.

St Kilda's Jason Blake won the education and training excellence award and had his work with a construction management and consulting firm recognised.