The main candidates

Neville Jetta - came from nowhere to become one of the AFL's premier small defenders

Dom Tyson - part of the well publicized trade, nobody could have expected him to be so good this fast. Averaged 24 disposals, 5 clearances and kicked 16 goals and may win the Bluey

Lynden Dunn - tailed off toward seasons end but was in All Australian discussion after the Essendon win

Cam Pedersen - an argument could have been made before the season started that he was one of the 10 worst players in the league, so his turnaround was quite remarkable. He played a big role in all 4 wins

Feel free to add anyone I may have missed

Neville Jetta - came from nowhere to become one of the AFL's premier small defenders

Loved his season, only thing that I really didn't like is his strength when someone contested from behind, but he's a small guy so it is going to happen (plenty of those arguably could've been frees too).

Nev jetta coming back from the brink

Dunn finally having a role of his own And Owning it. Could surprise a few with a Bluey

The ice bucket challenge.

This is a no brainer

Nev jetta is the biggest individual success story for the dees in 2014

Is he a smokey for a back pocket all australian?

The main candidates

Neville Jetta - came from nowhere to become one of the AFL's premier small defenders

Dom Tyson - part of the well publicized trade, nobody could have expected him to be so good this fast. Averaged 24 disposals, 5 clearances and kicked 16 goals and may win the Bluey

Lynden Dunn - tailed off toward seasons end but was in All Australian discussion after the Essendon win

Cam Pedersen - an argument could have been made before the season started that he was one of the 10 worst players in the league, so his turnaround was quite remarkable. He played a big role in all 4 wins

Feel free to add anyone I may have missed

Nice idea for a thread, h_h.

Jetta would almost have it locked down but I think Nathan Jones deserves a special mention for taking his game to a genuine A grade level. As of last night he is number one in the league for total disposals (610, 27.7 per game), third in total clearances, first in total effective handballs and fourteenth in both total tackles and total contested possessions.

His season has probably gone under the radar a little because we are now used to his steady improvement and consistency but boy, do I have a lot of love for this man. No one more deserving of the captaincy and I'd think he has the Bluey all stitched up.

For risk to reward for us it has to be the form of Tyson. For warming the cockles of my heart it has to be Jetta.

All have been a success this year. Can they do it again next year and the next? That's when I will congratulate them.

All have been a success this year. Can they do it again next year and the next? That's when I will congratulate them.

Don't see why not,they have certainly been consistent performers over the last seven years.

Jetta.

The main candidates

Neville Jetta - came from nowhere to become one of the AFL's premier small defenders

Dom Tyson - part of the well publicized trade, nobody could have expected him to be so good this fast. Averaged 24 disposals, 5 clearances and kicked 16 goals and may win the Bluey

Lynden Dunn - tailed off toward seasons end but was in All Australian discussion after the Essendon win

Cam Pedersen - an argument could have been made before the season started that he was one of the 10 worst players in the league, so his turnaround was quite remarkable. He played a big role in all 4

Feel free to add anyone I may have missed

I cannot understand why Pedersen was repeatedly dropped when in form and contributing.

Can I nominate Kent for the "outstanding late season performance in a minor role" category

Can I nominate Kent for the "outstanding late season performance in a minor role" category

No Earl, that's the award in the "special effects in a subtitled film" category. Two stars out of five.

Dom Tyson by some margin, a remarkable year despite having no pre season.

Jetta for me, went from a dud to deserving his spot on the list and one of our best each week.

Tyson would have to come close. We expected a good player but looks likely to get the Bluey in his first year. Good effort.

No Earl, that's the award in the "special effects in a subtitled film" category. Two stars out of five.

Fair call Luna but how about Riley for best debutant in a "non kicking" role?

First half of the year - Pederson for me by a good margin, considering where he had come from last year..

Second half - Jetta. Much man-love for this guy.

For consistency across the whole year - it's out of Tyson and Dunn. Tyson was an unknown quantity but really became a central pillar in our midfield. And Dunn - thankfully, at last something good has come of all those top 20 picks over the last few years (Dunn, Bate, Blease, Strauss, Cook, Gysberts, McLean, Jack W___s, Grimes, T$, etc. etc.)

Fair call Luna but how about Riley for best debutant in a "non kicking" role?

I would also nominate Jack Watts for best performer in a " non contact, slippery surface'" role!

Jetta. Dunn started to pick up in the second half of last year, but he was still great this season.

Pedersen in second place. Tyson was probably better than both of them as a player, but he had plenty of time to get it right the other two were on the brink.

Right up until the last game, I would have considered Max Gawn's steady progress as being a 'quiet' individual achievement of real importance.

But certainly Neville Jetta's arrival as a genuine, consistent AFL player is hugely satisfying.

Pederson and Dunn's improvement is significant. And I'd like to take a moment to remind everyone of how I was on the 'Pederson is a useful, hard worker who does the unglamorous team thing' from as early as the pre-season games.

Dom Tyson's excellent season, and the way he lifted again after something of a slump mid-year, really excite me. His the numbers for his final six games are not even A-grade, they are star. The rough per game figures for that period are;

27 disposals at 75% efficiency, 5 clearances, 4 tackles, 6 marks, 5 inside 50s, and a goal.

The Demons have gone from one midfielder worth mentioning to two.

Frawley should get a Darwin Award for self inflicted injuries to his reputation at Melbourne.

Jason Taylor?

Dunn was good until people in media started linking him to All-Australian selection.