SOUTHPORT co-captain Jacob Dawson has surged to the lead after three rounds in the VFL Coaches Player of the Year award.

Dawson picked up another nine votes for his 33 disposals in the Sharks’ stunning victory over Werribee at Avalon Airport Oval on Saturday night, taking him to 23 out of a possible 30 and a four-vote lead over Collingwood’s previous leader Callum Brown, who was promoted into the Magpies’ AFL team on the back of 19 votes in the first two weeks.

Last week’s second-placed player, Carlton’s Paddy Dow, missed out on the votes in his team’s big win over Gold Coast, with teammate Jack Newnes (32 disposals, seven marks, one goal) one of three players in the league to poll the perfect 10, lifting him into the top five on 16.

Will Fordham’s incomparable game in Frankston’s drought and record-breaking win over Essendon that yielded 38 disposals, eight marks, 14 clearances, five tackles and four goals was rightly rewarded by Danny Ryan and Brent Stanton, while Geelong draftee Oliver Dempsey’s four goals against Brisbane Lions impressed both Shane O’Bree and Mitch Hahn.

Dawson’s teammate Boyd Woodcock, Sydney prodigy Logan McDonald, Giant pair Jarrod Brander and Josh Fahey, Richmond’s Judson Clarke and Austin Johnson and Box Hill Hawks Tom Phillips and Liam Shiels each polled nine votes in their team’s victories.

As with the AFL Coaches Association Player of the Year, the VFL award is voted on by the coaches of each club after every game.

The coaches are awarding 5-4-3-2-1 to their best players in the game from either team, with those votes collated and revealed each week on vfl.com.au.

A total of 41 players attracted the coaches’ attention in Round 3, making it 156 to have polled so far this season.

Twitter: @BRhodesVFL

ROUND 3 VOTES

Geelong 13.12 (90) def Brisbane Lions 13.5 (83)
10 Oliver Dempsey (Gee)
7 Ryan Abbott (Gee)
4 Tom Berry (BL)
3 Wylie Buzza (BL)
2 Shannon Neale (Gee)
2 Ely Smith (BL)
2 Cooper Stephens (Gee)

Northern Bullants 8.14 (62) lost to Collingwood 14.13 (97)
7 Neville Jetta (Col)
5 Mason Cox (Col)
5 Caleb Poulter (Col)
4 Derek Eggmolesse-Smith (Col)
3 Matthew King (NB)
2 Tom Wilson (NB)
2 Lachie Tardrew (Col)
1 Jack Boyd (NB)
1 Baxter Knight (NB)

Port Melbourne 10.5 (65) lost to Sydney 10.12 (72)
9 Logan McDonald (Syd)
5 Joel Amartey (Syd)
5 Will Gould (Syd)
5 Matthew Roberts (Syd)
5 Eli Templeton (PM)
1 Ryan Clarke (Syd)

GWS 16.10 (106) def Coburg 9.10 (64)
9 Jarrod Brander (GWS)
9 Josh Fahey (GWS)
5 Ryan Hebron (GWS)
3 Kieren Briggs (GWS)
2 Matthew Flynn (GWS)
1 Sam Lowson (Cob)
1 Charlie Thompson (Cob)

Richmond 14.11 (95) def Footscray 10.9 (69)
9 Judson Clarke (Ric)
9 Austin Johnson (Ric)
5 Lachie Sullivan (Foo)
3 Maurice Rioli (Ric)
2 Josh Schache (Foo)
1 Riley Garcia (Foo)
1 Bigoa Nguyen (Ric)

Werribee 11.12 (78) lost to Southport 19.16 (130)
9 Jacob Dawson (Sou)
9 Boyd Woodcock (Sou)
3 Aiden Fyfe (Sou)
3 Josh Williams (Sou)
3 Jacob Townsend (Sou)
2 Max Spencer (Sou)
1 Brayden Crossley (Sou)

Williamstown 9.11 (65) lost to Casey Demons 15.10 (100)
8 Finbar O’Dwyer (Wil)
7 Luke Dunstan (Cas)
7 Harry Petty (Cas)
3 Oskar Baker (Cas)
3 Majak Daw (Cas)
1 James Cousins (Wil)
1 Patrick Taban (Wil)

Box Hill Hawks 15.10 (100) def Sandringham 7.14 (56)
9 Tom Phillips (Box)
9 Liam Shiels (Box)
5 Tom Campbell (San)
5 Ben Cavarra (Box)
1 Mason De Wit (Box)
1 Dean Kent (San)

Gold Coast 7.19 (61) lost to Carlton 17.11 (113)
10 Jack Newnes (Car)
8 Zavier Maher (Car)
5 Ben Crocker (Car)
3 Darcy Macpherson (GC)
2 Cooper Stephens (Car)
2 Liam Stocker (Car)

Essendon 16.12 (108) lost to Frankston 20.18 (138)
10 Will Fordham (Fra)
8 Trent Mynott (Fra)
5 Garrett McDonagh (Ess)
4 Josh Newman (Fra)
2 Liam Reidy (Fra)
1 Josh Iacobaccio (Ess)

North Melbourne bye

VFL COACHES PLAYER OF THE YEAR LEADERBOARD

23 Jacob Dawson (Sou) 9
19 Callum Brown (Col) 0
18 Paddy Dow (Car) 0
16 Oliver Dempsey (Gee) 10
16 Jack Newnes (Car) 10
15 Joe Atley (Ess) 0
15 Will Hayes (Car) 0
15 Trent Mynott (Fra) 8
14 Luke Dunstan (Cas) 7
14 Quinton Narkle (Gee) 0
14 Malcolm Rosas (GC) 0

FROSTY MILLER MEDAL LEADING GOALKICKER

15 Jacob Townsend (Sou) 4
10 Joel Ottavi (Wil) 2
9 Ben Crocker (Car) 4
9 Kai Lohmann (BL) 2
8 Mitch Brown (Cas) 0
8 Sam Fowler (Col) 2
8 Fergus Greene (Box) 2
7 Sam Day (GC) 2
7 Malcolm Rosas (GC) 0
7 Mitch White (Cas) 2

SMITHY’S VFL ROUND 3 RECORDS

(Figures in brackets are the previous record)

• 13.5 83 Brisbane Lions' highest score v Geelong (8.6 54, 2021)
• 20.18 138 Frankston's highest score v Essendon (18.9 117, 2001)
• 30 Frankston's biggest win v Essendon (25, 2001)
• 13.12 90 Geelong's lowest score v Brisbane Lions (26.16 172, 2021)
• 8.14 62 Northern Bullants' lowest score v Collingwood at Preston City Oval (10.11 71, 2009; 11.5 71, 2018)
• 10.5 65 Port Melbourne's highest score v Sydney/South Melbourne (6.6, Lakeside 1895; 5.6, North Port, 1894)

SMITHY’S VFL MILESTONES

• BOX HILL HAWKS WON THEIR 600TH VFA/VFL MATCH (600-714-20)
• The Hangar was used as a VFL venue for the first time
• Tom Gribble (Werribee) 100 club matches/48 goals (career 104/48)
• Jake Bartholomaeus (Sydney) 50 NEAFL-VFL matches/16 goals
• Luke Bunker (Coburg) 50 VFL matches/8 goals
• Tom Fields (Southport) 50 NEAFL-VFL matches/44 goals
• Oleg Markov (Gold Coast) 50 VFL matches/17 goals
• Josh Porter (Werribee) 50 VFL matches/54 goals
• Roarke Smith (Footscray) 50 VFL matches/12 goals
• Jacob Townsend (Southport) 100 VFL-NEAFL goals/105 matches

• Casey Demons squared its away VFL-era record v Williamstown (8-8)
• Collingwood moved ahead in the VFL era (131-130)
• Collingwood moved ahead v Northern Bullants away (6-5)
• Frankston defeated Essendon for the first time since July 28, 2001 (8 1/2 losses in a row)
• Gold Coast v Carlton happened for the first time (0-1)
• GWS v Coburg happened for the first time (1-0)
• Richmond squared its away VFL-era record v Footscray (2-2)
• Werribee v Southport happened for the first time (0-1)

SMITHY’S VFL DEBUTS

(Round 3 total: 23. Season total: 131. NEAFL games counted)

• Box Hill Hawks (total 8): Jarman Impey (Rd2)
• Brisbane Lions (2): Nil
• Carlton (2): Nil
• Casey Demons (8): Wal Wuol
• Coburg (3): Harry Andronaco
• Collingwood (6): Nil
• Essendon (12): Maclyn Hallows
• Footscray (6): Charlie Parker
• Frankston (7): Jeremy Burton
• Geelong (10): Liam McCarthy
• Gold Coast (10): Ned Stevens, Riley Stone
• GWS (10): Cameron Edwards, Jack Rule
• North Melbourne (6): Nil
• Northern Bullants (4): Nil
• Port Melbourne (6): Zane Carter, Nick Stuhldreier, Cody Szust
• Richmond (7): Tom Bracher, Misilifi Faimolo
• Sandringham (8): Oscar Adams, Will Gown
• Southport (1): Nil
• Sydney (9): Toby Alker, Izaac Hughes, Kye Pfrengle, Felix Rogers
• Werribee (2): Nil
• Williamstown (4): Patrick Taban

SMITHY’S VFL FIRST GOAL

(Round 3 total: 21. Season total: 78. NEAFL goals counted)

• Box Hill Hawks (4): Sam Butler (2^nd match)
• Brisbane Lions (3): Nil
• Carlton (4): Nil
• Casey Demons (5): Andy Moniz-Wakefield (3^rd)
• Collingwood (3): Nil
• Essendon (6): Alastair Lord (3^rd)
• Footscray (4): Arthur Jones (3^rd), Josh Kellet (6^th), Will Lewis (3^rd)
• Frankston (2): Angus Grant (2^nd), Ned Shannon (2^nd)
• Geelong (5): Mitch Knevitt (2^nd)
• Gold Coast (4): Nil
• GWS (8): Cameron Edwards (1^st), Josh Fahey (4^th), Sam Frost (11^th), Jack Rule (1^st)
• North Melbourne (4): Nil
• Northern Bullants (2): Nil
• Port Melbourne (5): Jack Briskey (10^th), Jesse Cucinotta (7^th), Archi Manton (2^nd), Cody Szust (1^st)
• Richmond (4): Austin Johnson (3^rd)
• Sandringham (5): Max Heath (2^nd)
• Southport (1): Nil
• Sydney (3): Nil
• Werribee (2): Saad El Hawli (2^nd)
• Williamstown (4): Charlie Molan (3^rd)

All Smithy’s VFL matches in 2022 are live streamed free. The match of the round will be screened on Channel 7 and 7Plus, while all other matches will be live and available on demand via afl.com.au and the AFL Live Official App. Radio station 3WBC 94.1 also broadcasts Box Hill Hawks matches.
To access live scores, results, ladder, stats and to link to live streams/replays, download the VFL/W Official App from the Apple or Google Play app stores.