Melbourne captain Max Gawn etched his name into football history on Tuesday night, becoming the first player ever to earn nine All-Australian blazers — and was honoured with the side's captaincy to boot. But it was Adelaide skipper Jordan Dawson, named vice-captain of the All-Australian team for the second time in his career, who delivered the defining moment of the evening with a deeply personal speech about grief, mental health and the importance of speaking up.
Dawson's Courageous Speech Moves the Room
Dawson, who lost his elder brother Jaryd at the age of 35 earlier this year, accepted the Most Courageous Player award and used the moment to address mental health in raw, unflinching terms. Despite describing the subject as still new to him, he spoke openly about the emotional toll of the year.
"It's been a struggle. It's not easy. It's a range of emotions and they come at different times," Dawson said. "For me it's about creating safe spaces in the footy club and at home, and understanding there will be times when it's hard to go to work and that it is OK to feel a certain type of way."
He also acknowledged the ongoing difficulty of speaking publicly about his loss. "It's still raw, it's always going to be hard to talk about. I'm so lucky I have such supportive people around me. The mental health space is something new to me, but something I want to learn more about."
Dawson closed with a message directed beyond the room: "I want everyone to know who is struggling with their mental health that you are definitely loved and that the world is a better place with you in it. You are enough. We all love you, you have friends and family around you."
Gawn himself made clear the speech was not lost on him. "For Jordan to get up and do what he did, to lead his side… to show vulnerability in front of a group of strangers… that's a captain that I want to be behind," he said. Dawson also took home the Best Captain award on the night, having led Adelaide through a season of both on-field excellence and profound personal heartbreak. You can read more about Gawn naming Dawson as the man of the night in our dedicated coverage.
Gawn's Historic Ninth Blazer and a Night of Records
Gawn's selection as captain capped an extraordinary individual milestone. No player in the award's history has been named to the All-Australian team on nine occasions, surpassing a group of eight-time selections that includes Gary Ablett snr, Gary Ablett jnr, Patrick Dangerfield, Lance Franklin, Robert Harvey and Mark Ricciuto. Marcus Bontempelli joined that group on Tuesday, earning his eighth blazer for the Western Bulldogs.
Gawn had previously captained the All-Australian side in 2021, and Demons coach Steven King had publicly backed him for the honour in the days leading up to the announcement.
The night also set a new benchmark for Indigenous representation, with five Indigenous players named in the 23-man squad — Wayne Milera, Jarman Impey, Kysaiah Pickett, Shai Bolton and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera. The previous record stood at four, set in 2006 when Shaun Burgoyne, Lindsay Gilbee, Adam Goodes and Andrew McLeod were honoured.
Nick Daicos had a night to remember in his own right, sweeping the major individual awards including the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year and the Leigh Matthews MVP. He polled 147 votes — a new record — and averaged a remarkable 35 disposals per game across the season. It was his second AFLPA MVP title. Carlton's Jagga Smith was named Rising Star for 2026.
Contentious Omissions and Maiden Selections
The selection panel — chaired by AFL CEO Andrew Dillon and including former players Eddie Betts, Simon Black, Jude Bolton, Glen Jakovich, David Mundy, Joel Selwood and others — faced immediate scrutiny over several high-profile omissions.
The absence of Sydney trio Nick Blakey, Isaac Heeney and Chad Warner, who were all serving club-imposed suspensions, opened three spots in the team but also drew attention to the players who missed out despite strong seasons. Zak Butters earned selection despite playing only 17 games through injury, edging out Hawthorn co-captain Jai Newcombe and Carlton's Patrick Cripps. Port Adelaide defender Aliir Aliir was considered unlucky to miss, as was teammate Jason Horne-Francis.
Geelong wingman Oliver Dempsey was among nine maiden All-Australians, recognised for redefining his role through an ability to push forward and kick goals. His selection came ahead of teammate Max Holmes, who had been in scintillating form — averaging 29 disposals — before suffering a right ankle fracture and syndesmosis injury in July. Fremantle's Murphy Reid also earned a blazer in just his second AFL season, an outstanding achievement for the emerging young gun.
Ten players retained their places from the previous year's team: Gawn, Bontempelli, Dawson, Wanganeen-Milera, Pickett, Jordan Clark, Harris Andrews, Bailey Smith, Zac Bailey and Nick Daicos. Fremantle led club representation with five players named, followed by Brisbane Lions with three.
The evening at Centrepiece at Melbourne Park was ultimately defined not by records or omissions, but by a captain speaking honestly about pain — and a room that listened.
