FOR THE FIRST time in the club’s history, Melbourne has seen a tie for the Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott Memorial Trophy, with Max Gawn and Clayton Oliver sharing the top honour for season 2019.

The Best and Fairest ceremony, which was held at Crown Palladium on Monday night, saw the Demon duo end up on 464 votes – 141 votes clear of Jack Viney in third place – to win the club’s most prestigious award.

Both Gawn and Oliver become two-time ‘Bluey’ winners – a feat achieved by just 12 other Demons – and are fitting recipients of the trophy this year.

Gawn’s stunning season saw him earn All Australian honours for a third time in four years, as the ruckman shone while up against the competitions best.

The Dees big man played 21 games for the season, leading the competition in hit-outs per game and averaging a league-high 12 hit-outs to advantage, always giving his onballers first use.

Gawn’s ruck craft has continued to develop in recent years, and he has now won back-to-back Club Champions after claiming his first trophy last season.

The hard working 27-year-old is a student of the game and also received the Ron Barassi Jnr Trophy earlier in the night, acknowledging his leadership qualities.

Oliver was one of the Demon midfielders to benefit from his ruckman’s dominance, racking up 30 disposals per game in 2019.

The 22-year-old didn’t miss a game this season and had the most contested possessions in the league, showing an incredible ability to win the hard ball for someone of his age.

Oliver, known for his fast hands in congestion, averaged 19 handballs per game – the second most in the league – and was one of his side’s most reliable performers for the year.

After winning his first ‘Bluey’ in 2017, the youngster is closing in on club history, with just four players winning the award three times, and two Demons claiming it on four occasions in the past.

Click here to see all the award winners from the evening and check out the full leaderboard below.

The best and fairest award is voted on by four members of the club’s match committee, with each player given a score from zero to 10 after every game.

Final Leaderboard