Matt Taberner celebrates a goal during round five, 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

AN EIGHT-VOTE performance against Essendon in round five has sent Andrew Brayshaw straight to the top of the leaderboard in the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Award.

With Patrick Cripps sitting out round five with a hamstring injury, Brayshaw was able to leapfrog the Carlton star into top spot. 

Christian Petracca sits in third, with his performance against Greater Western Sydney netting the Melbourne superstar six votes. 

Brisbane's Lachie Neale was one of five players to be awarded a perfect 10 votes in round five, with three key position players deemed best-on-ground in their respective games.

Brisbane v Collingwood

10 Lachie Neale (BL)
6 Hugh McCluggage (BL)
5 Joe Daniher (BL)
5 Jordan De Goey (COLL)
4 Jack Crisp (COLL)

North Melbourne v Western Bulldogs

9 Aaron Naughton (WB)
8 Bailey Smith (WB)
7 Cody Weightman (WB)
3 Tim English (WB)
2 Caleb Daniel (WB)
1 Jack Macrae (WB)

03:48

West Coast v Sydney

10 Callum Mills (SYD)
7 Peter Ladhams (SYD)
5 Luke Parker (SYD)
5 Justin McInerney (SYD)
2 Isaac Heeney (SYD)
1 Jake Lloyd (SYD)

St Kilda v Gold Coast

9 Jack Higgins (STK)
6 Jack Steele (STK)
5 Jack Sinclair (STK)
4 Rowan Marshall (STK)
3 Jade Gresham (STK)
3 Touk Miller (GCFC)

02:25

Adelaide v Richmond

10 Taylor Walker (ADEL)
4 Elliott Himmelberg (ADEL)
4 Trent Cotchin (RICH)
4 Tom Doedee (ADEL)
3 Ben Keays (ADEL)
2 Brodie Smith (ADEL)
2 Rory Laird (ADEL)
1 Shai Bolton (RICH)

Melbourne v GWS Giants

10 Steven May (MELB)
8 Max Gawn (MELB)
6 Christian Petracca (MELB)
4 Clayton Oliver (MELB)
2 Charlie Spargo (MELB)

Carlton v Port Adelaide

9 Charlie Curnow (CARL)
8 Sam Walsh (CARL)
7 George Hewett (CARL)
2 Connor Rozee (PORT)
2 Harry McKay (CARL)
2 Zak Butters (PORT)

02:08

Essendon v Fremantle

10 Matt Taberner (FRE)
8 Andrew Brayshaw (FRE)
4 Will Brodie (FRE)
3 Brennan Cox (FRE)
3 Sean Darcy (FRE)
1 Dyson Heppell (ESS)
1 Alex Pearce (FRE)

02:33

Hawthorn v Geelong

9 James Sicily (HAW)
9 Jai Newcombe (HAW)
5 Tom Stewart (GEEL)
4 Tom Mitchell (HAW)
3 Joel Selwood (GEEL)

LEADERBOARD

29 Andrew Brayshaw FRE
26 Christian Petracca MELB
25 Patrick Cripps CARL
24 Bailey Smith WB
22 Jordan De Goey COLL
22 Lachie Neale BL
22 James Sicily HAW
21 Jeremy McGovern WCE
21 Touk Miller GCFC
21 Callum Mills SYD
21 Clayton Oliver MELB
18 Shai Bolton RICH
18 Max Gawn MELB
17 Tom Green GWS
17 Isaac Heeney SYD
17 Jack Higgins STK
17 Steven May MELB
16 Jack Crisp COLL
16 Changkuoth Jiath HAW
16 Darcy Parish ESS
16 Jack Sinclair STK
16 Jack Steele STK