ESSENDON's Zach Merrett has pipped Greater Western Sydney's Lachie Whitfield to get the coaches' nod after Friday night's thriller.

>> SEE THE LEADERBOARD BELOW

Votes for the AFL Coaches' Association's AFL Champion Player Award will be released on a daily basis during the 'Festival of Footy'.

Port Adelaide v Western Bulldogs

7 Jack Macrae (WB)
7 Zak Butters (PORT)
4 Marcus Bontempelli (WB)
4 Tom Jonas (PORT)
3 Peter Ladhams (PORT)
3 Tom Clurey (PORT)
2 Charlie Dixon (PORT)

Brisbane v Richmond

9 Liam Baker (RICH)
8 Shai Bolton (RICH)
7 Dustin Martin (RICH)
3 Tom Lynch (RICH)
2 Lachie Neale (BL)
1 Noah Balta (RICH)

Geelong v North Melbourne

10 Cameron Guthrie (GEEL)
8 Gryan Miers (GEEL)
5 Sam Menegola (GEEL)
3 Jack Henry (GEEL)
2 Mark Blicavs (GEEL)
2 Jy Simpkin (NMFC)

Adelaide v Melbourne

10 Clayton Oliver (MELB)
7 Jack Viney (MELB)
6 Steven May (MELB)
3 Christian Petracca (MELB)
2 Sam Weideman (MELB)
2 Christian Salem (MELB)

Collingwood v Sydney

10 Taylor Adams (COLL)
6 Josh Daicos (COLL)
4 Brayden Maynard (COLL)
4 Adam Treloar (COLL)
2 Brayden Sier (COLL)
2 Jackson Thurlow (SYD)
1 John Noble (COLL)
1 Jake Lloyd (SYD)

Gold Coast v St Kilda

10 Daniel Butler (STK)
5 Jack Steele (STK)
5 Touk Miller (GCFC)
4 Jarrod Witts (GCFC)
4 Jack Billings (STK)
1 Jack Lukosius (GCFC)
1 Hugh Greenwood (GCFC)

Essendon v Greater Western Sydney

9 Zach Merrett (ESS)
7 Lachie Whitfield (GWS)
6 Tim Taranto (GWS)
4 Adam Saad (ESS)
4 Stephen Coniglio (GWS)

Leaderboard

62 Lachie Neale BL
44 Jack Steele STK
40 Christian Petracca MELB
39 Travis Boak PORT
37 Jack Macrae WB
34 Cameron Guthrie GEEL
33 Taylor Adams COLL
32 Nic Naitanui WCE
31 Jarrod Witts GCFC
30 Todd Goldstein NMFC
30 Matthew Rowell GCFC
29 Jack Viney MELB
28 Toby Greene GWS
28 Dustin Martin RICH
27 Joel Selwood GEEL
26 Charlie Dixon PORT
26 Zach Merrett ESS
26 Scott Pendlebury COLL
25 Daniel Butler STK
25 Max Gawn MELB
25 Zak Jones STK
25 Josh Kennedy WCE
25 Lachie Whitfield GWS