MAX Gawn is leading the 2018 Shadforth Financial Group AFLCA Champion Player of the Year award after gaining six votes in Melbourne’s 54-point win over Fremantle at TIO Stadium on Saturday night.

Gawn has had an outstanding season in the ruck, notching up 701 hit outs so far this season.

The 26-year-old had 20 disposals, kicked one goal and finished with 42 hit outs.

Gawn, who was All-Australian in 2016 and claimed 16 Brownlow Medal votes, is a leading contender for this year’s Brownlow.

Seven Melbourne players gained votes against Fremantle in a dominant display.

Clayton Oliver, who gained 10 votes, is in the top 20.

AFLCA Votes: Melbourne v Fremantle

10 Clayton Oliver (MELB)
8 Angus Brayshaw (MELB)
6 Max Gawn (MELB)
2 Christian Salem (MELB)
2 Jack Viney (MELB)
1 Jesse Hogan (MELB)
1 Bayley Fritsch (MELB)

AFLCA Champion Player of the Year leaderboard

VOTES

PLAYER

CLUB

61

Max Gawn

MELB

60

Patrick Cripps

CARL

59

Nat Fyfe

FRE

58

Tom Mitchell

HAW

56

Shaun Higgins

NMFC

53

Steele Sidebottom

COLL

52

Andrew Gaff

WCE

46

Brodie Grundy

COLL

45

Trent Cotchin

RICH

44

Dayne Beams

BL

43

Kane Lambert

RICH

42

Ben Cunnington

NMFC

42

Jack Darling

WCE

40

Ben Brown

NMFC

40

Dyson Heppell

ESS

40

Jack Macrae

WB

40

Dustin Martin

RICH

39

James Sicily

HAW

38

Clayton Oliver

MELB

38

Scott Pendlebury

COLL