THE Keith Bluey Truscott Award is given to the best and fairest Demon from the AFL season.
This year, this prestigious honour will be awarded on Tuesday 9 September, the ceremony set to take place at Centrepiece.
As we close in on the much-loved event, we take a look at some of the Demons in contention for the award with one round left of the home-and-away season.
Max Gawn
The AFL skipper has proven once again that even at the age of 33, you can keep adding new levels to your game.
If you look at Gawn’s stats for the season to date, he’s currently averaging 20 disposals, five clearances and five marks, all career-best numbers, an impressive feat for someone in their 16th season. While his average hit-outs don’t quite hit a career high, a solid average of 36.5 puts him among the top five for the league.
In addition to what’s on paper, Gawn has been instrumental in key moments throughout the season, standing tall as skipper when his team needed him most. With all this being said, there’s a high chance he could be walking up on stage for his third ‘Bluey’ come September.
Kysaiah Pickett
Fans rejoiced in June when Pickett put pen to paper and re-signed to the Dees for a further nine years, and for good reason.
The 24-year-old has cemented himself as one of, if not the best, small forward in the league. While predominately shining as a small forward, Pickett’s thrived with more responsibility in the midfield, currently averaging 20 disposals and two goals a game, the first player to do so since 2011.
He’s kicked five goals on three separate occasions throughout the 2025 season, proving again and again that his ability to impact a game is undeniable. After a career-best campaign, can Pickett snap up his first ever ‘Bluey’?
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Jake Bowey
The first half of Bowey’s season saw the defender rise to the top of the ‘Bluey’ predictions, putting together a string of standout displays, fans hailing him as best afield on many occasions.
Known for his slick skills and rebounding ability, the 22-year-old hit career-best numbers across the stats board this season, averaging 22 disposals, 15 kicks and five marks. One of his strongest displays came during Round 7 where he collected 32 disposals, nine marks and five intercepts.
Jake Melksham
Similarly to Gawn, Melksham is showing that age is just number, the 33-year-old putting together a memorable 2025 campaign in Melbourne’s forward line.
Known for his impeccable forward craft, Melksham’s work has seen him outplay some of the best defenders across the league, booting a bag of five goals across two games during Rounds 16 and 18.
His leadership both on and off the field has been integral in pushing Melbourne’s young forward line, leading by example going on to kick a total of 31 goals across his 18 games for the season.
Christian Petracca
A return to play this season saw Petracca work his way back to form. What Dees fans have grown to love over the past 11 years returned – explosive power and an unrelenting need to win, no matter the contest.
While not necessarily career best numbers, Petracca’s subtle consistency has been an important part of Melbourne’s season, holding strength in the engine room while floating forward to help inside 50. He averaged 25 disposals and kicked a total of 17 goals across 22 games.
Harvey Langford
Langford is the dark horse of the best and fairest count with just one season of AFL under his belt. The first-year Demon is arguably one of the best young players in the league right now and a heavy contender for the Rising Star Award.
He debuted in Round 1 and after a one-game stint in the VFL, he came back into the AFL team to make his mark. He currently averages close to 18 disposals and has kicked a total of 12 goals across 21 games, not missing a beat since returning to the top side.
At just 19 years old, Langford brings the type of on-field excitement you see from an experienced star, completing rundown tackles and kicking goals in big moments. It’s only a matter of time before he gets his recognition.
