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Best Young Player - Jayden Hunt.

Say what you want but Colin Sylvia was one of the best at the club when it came to charity work and positive off field visiting kids at hospital etc.

Nev Jetta makes it back to back Ian Ridley Club Ambassador awards.

Club chairman Glen Bartlett kicked off tonight's proceedings by announcing that the club's partnership with principal partner AHG has been extended.

This. Used to do things like pop into the Royal Children's Hospital unannounced and stay for hours talking to young Melbourne supporters or just kids in general. For all his faults, he was incredible in this regard.

2 minutes ago TRUCK TALKS TOUGH Melbourne's emerging superstar Christian Petracca on the Dees' impressive young list. "We want to build a dynasty, we want to build a premiership side. This year we've had some really good wins and some poor games, we feel like we're on the right track to be a very successful team."

54mSEN 1116‏ @SENNews Petracca asked where (position) he'll be playing later in his career. Andy says: Say Carlton mate! Christian: Nah sorry, Melbourne for life 719

I've closed the poll now so you cheating buggers can't add/change your votes when the result is pretty close to over. Enjoy! :D

Norm Smith Memorial Award - coaches award to Max Gawn.

Petracca also said he was "Melbourne for life" in his SEN interview, after Maher joked about Carlton wanting him. Really setting an example of a dedicated young man who isn't getting ahead of himself, and he's bringing the rest of the team with him.

Jay Clark Verified account ‏@ClarkyHeraldSun Max Gawn thanks Dean Bailey & Jim Stynes. Says Stynes is "the reason I'm playing footy today". ------------------- The serious side of our Maxy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jay Clark Verified account ‏@ClarkyHeraldSun Gawn thanks list chiefs for giving Mark Jamar the flick "so they finally give me a go". Says he's now "palming it down their throats". ---------------------------- ...and Max the joker

With all due respect it's certainly a fact...but it's not remotely interesting.

Ron Barassi Junior Trophy for leadership - Jack Viney

Yep all credit to him he never sought the limelight for it. I know a nurse who used to work there who was amazed at how often he'd come in and how long he'd stay for. Said he was an absolute gentleman with the kids and families which doesn't always fit with the Sylvia we knew. I don't know him from Adam but always felt he's just a big kid who's never really grown up.

Pretty sure we've been trying to get him for 3-4 years!

VINEY 1ST JONES 2ND Congratulations young Jack, so effing proud of you kid.

I can't believe I had the impression that Jones had an average year. Averaged 28 touches, 5.5 tackles per game. 19th in the AFL for I50s, 11th for total disposals.

James McDonald Trophy - the heart and spirit award to Max Gawn

Somewhat ironic that 4 players were nominated for Rising star, and he wasn't one of them!!

At the B&F Bartlett has announced that this sponsorship has been extended Assume details will be announced later. Great news and another step on off-field stability!

Gee I thought Gawn would bolt in, he carried us all year.

I think he's going to announce his retirement tonight.

Quite happy to keep the media expectations low on our young guns. We'll never know how much influence winning it last year had on Jesse, but I'd much prefer our guys being underrated by other clubs. We just need to continue going about our business and improving. The less pressure, the better at the moment.

Yes, really, when he has as big a gap to bridge as he does. The only reason being on his Pat Malone would work in his favour is if he was the only one in the team hitting targets. Getting a low score when everyone else gets a low score (i.e. "not on his Pat Malone") doesn't help him. *waves calculator about*

Roosy gets a standing ovation.

Not what he would have wanted at the start of the year, but it is at least something to say his efforts have been recognised. Well done, Jack.

Glen Bartlett just announced that our sponsorship with AHG has been extended! This is great news!

Uh-oh. "Doesn't want it to make headlines," heh.

Jesse had a very solid year. Played more of a CHF role, had some great games where he pushed up and got involved without scoring (Freo game comes to mind). Easily top 10. Poor last month but aside from that, no second-year blues that some hyperventilating fans thought he had.

Peter Jackson now speaking. Expects a good financial result this year.

The time has come for me to jump at shadows, which I usually don't do. Jesse just posted a photo (big grin, btw) on instagram with a couple of other players, all suited up. His hashtag was #staytuned... could Redleg's idea that it might be announced tonight be on the money? Probably not, but whatever...

A fantastic story on Jayden Hunt http://www.aflplayers.com.au/article/hunting-jayden/

In fairness, your last scoop on the Hogan deal came from you lipreading a conversation with a Brisbane player...

Careful or you will cop one hell of a spray from Jackovitch just like Connolly!!

He did this coming off a knee reco and a year out, and has played just 17 games. How good will he be?

I don't really want to buy into the broader issues around EFC deserving pick1/Lions pp but I would like to clarify those two comments. 1. Recently the AFL changed the 'Delisted FA' rule interpretation for EFC to contract top-up players 'free' outside the draft so other clubs cannot draft them and EFC do not have to use any draft picks. Recent suggestions are they will sign 2 to 4 of those players. That one irks a lot of people on here because EFC and the AFL dug their heels in to stop Hibberd coming to us as a 'Delisted FA' forcing a trade yet get 'free kicks' going the other way. 2. In the 2014 draft they did lose rnd 1 and rnd 2 picks but they got an 'end of rnd 1 pick' in return. Still a penalty but not as severe as it looks at first glance. The AFL deemed EFC would get the #1 pick in 2016 if they finish last, so EFC have nicely tanked a few games to make sure that happens. EFC have proudly proclaimed they will play finals in 2017. Also, the AFL has made it easy for EFC to recover their $2m fines by giving them preferential fixtures in terms of family friendly time slots (ie gate revenues), MCG home games vs bigger teams (more gate revenue), prime FTA times (keep sponsors happy and committed) etc. So considering all those AFL maneuverings, one could form a view that the 2013/2014 draft sanctions and the fines have all but been offset.

In this particular case, yes they got the wooden spoon purely and only as a result of their punishment. It's as simple as that they shouldn't get a reward directly as a result of a punishment a fairer choice would have been to set their first draft pick at the same position as for 2015

Special award to Debbie Lee for her contribution to women's footy. Got a standing ovation.

Great call by the recruiters and a huge call by Jason Taylor to back their judgement. As it said in the article he could have easily overruled Interesting also that they had Jayden rated in the 20's. Certainly nailed that

Why is Adolf Hitler on the ticket?

Wouldn't it be great if it was announced he is staying at tonight's B & F?

Exactly right. You cannot re-write history by applying today's thinking to the public sentiment back in the mid 2000s. Not only was tanking not seen as evil, it was actually described by many to be the only logical course of action for clubs in that position. I remember reading newspaper articles containing comments such as "it would be bordering on negligence for [relevant Club] to win an irrelevant end of season game and miss out on another top 5 pick" and "it is in the best interests of [relevant club] to lose its remaining few games and help set up their future with elite young talent". Ironically these same journalists then condemned us a few years down the track for doing exactly what they were telling us to do. Not only did the AFL set up the inducement through the priority pick system, but they allowed "tanking" by failing to address it when clubs started taking advantage of the system. Instead, we were told by the AFL that tanking does not exist and that it is okay to send players in for season-ending surgeries halfway through the year (Collingwood), play players out of position (Fremantle) and drag your match-winning full forward from the ground when he looked set to win you the match (Carlton). It could have all been dealt with by a simple change to the rules to remove the inducement as well as an acknowledgement that there was a strong perception of tanking that the AFL did not want and the rule changes would help remove this. But the AFL did nothing. To allow it to go on and then selectively investigate (and punish certain officials from) one of the clubs that did it is nothing short of disgraceful.

well if essendrugs are prepared to take o'mears to the psd they would just be inviting us to do the same with hibberd

On a side note, 'tanking', prior to our experience was not quite seen as the evil as it is now. The AFL were wilfully blind to the practice after Collingwood and Carlton's efforts. I even remember commentators urging us to take to take full advantage of our position. As alluded to above, most supporters were also in favour of it. Then after Brock McLean's comments, the situation changed and the football world discovered their collective outrage.

I get what you're saying, but I still don't see him as an upgrade on Pedersen. He is taller which allows him to ruck better, but he hasn't show anything close to being an effective forward, something that Pedersen well and truly has him covered in. So, in many ways, I don't see any point in getting him to the club.