Dally M Medal be established in rugby league in Australia. The medal was sponsored by Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc., a tobacco production company. There were two Rothmans Medals awarded each year: one for the best player in the New South Wales Rugby League, and one for the best player in the Brisbane Rugby League. The voting for the Rothmans Medal was the same basic format as the modern day Dally M, except that the votes were determined by the referees, rather than the media. The two Rothmans Medals were first awarded in 1968, and were awarded each year until 1996. In 1997,
AFL Players Association awards to help them balance external study and training with football training. AFL Players Association awards The AFL Players Association awards are a group of awards given annually to players in the Australian Football League, voted for by all AFL players. The AFLPA nominates the following four awards as their main awards. The Leigh Matthews Trophy has been awarded by the players to the best player of the season annually since 1982. It is the AFLPA equivalent of the Brownlow Medal (voted for by umpires), and a variety of media-sponsored MVP awards. Gary Ablett, Jr. (2007–09, 2012–13) is the only player