The GIANTS’ 2024 AFL season will be celebrated in style on Wednesday night at the Kevin Sheedy Medal held at Crown Sydney.  

As we prepare to crown the GIANTS’ club champion on Wednesday night, GIANTS Media has taken a look at some of the contenders for this year’s Kevin Sheedy Medal following a host of strong performances across the 2024 AFL season.

How does the count work? 

Under a new voting system implemented last season, line coaches rated their respective players after each game from a pre-determined performance scale.

All line coaches then met to determine an overall rating for each player before submitting to head coach Adam Kingsley who allocated up to six (6) votes for each player per game.

The votes across the season, which combined both home and way and finals games, are then tallied up, with the player with the most votes at the end of the GIANTS’ season being awarded the Kevin Sheedy Medal. 

Previous Winners: 

2023 – Toby Greene
2022 – Sam Taylor
2021 – Josh Kelly
2020 – Nick Haynes and Lachie Whitfield
2019 – Tim Taranto
2018 – Lachie Whitfield
2017 – Josh Kelly
2016 – Toby Greene
2015 – Heath Shaw
2014 – Shane Mumford
2013 – Jeremy Cameron
2012 – Callan Ward

2024 Kevin Sheedy Medal Contenders:

Tom Green

Further cementing himself as one of the game’s best players, Green enjoyed another stellar campaign in season 2024 and is sure to feature heavily in Wednesday’s count.

Entering the night as one of the red-hot favourites, Green finished the 2024 home and away season sitting second across the entire competition for total disposals (only second to teammate Lachie Whitfield) in another dominant campaign from the 23-year-old.

One of the game’s best inside midfielders, Green finished the season averaging 30.8 disposals per game to go along with 6.2 clearances and four tackles.

While a noticeable absence from this year’s All-Australian squad, Green’s superb season was highlighted by a fifth-placed finish in this year’s Brownlow Medal, polling 27 votes to set a new record for the most Brownlow votes in a season by a GIANT.

Tying with Stephen Coniglio as runner-up in last year’s Sheedy Medal, could 2024 be the year Green claims his first Sheedy Medal?

Lachie Whitfield

One of just three two-time Kevin Sheedy Medallists alongside Josh Kelly and Toby Greene, Whitfield is eying off history as he vies for a record third GIANTS club champion award on Wednesday night.

Whitfield will enter Wednesday’s count following arguably a career-best season in which he earnt his second All-Australian blazer.

One of the competition’s best rebounding defenders, Whitfield finished the home and away season as the AFL’s leading disposal getter, averaging 30.9 touches per game to go along with 7.3 marks, 5.8 rebound-50s, and 4.3 score involvements per game.

Further cementing himself as one of the AFL’s most lethal weapons out of defence, Whitfield finished the home and away season ranked elite in the competition for disposals, metres gained, marks and score involvements.

After playing every game of the season, can Whitfield become the first-ever three-time Kevin Sheedy Medallist on Wednesday night?

Jesse Hogan

The most powerful force in the competition across the 2024 season, Hogan is vying for his maiden Kevin Sheedy Medal after a dominant career-best campaign

Tormenting opposition defenders throughout the season, Hogan finished the home and away season on 69 goals to claim both his maiden Coleman Medal and maiden All-Australian blazer.

Possessing the best hands in the game, Hogan led the competition in both contested marks and marks inside 50, with his marks inside 50 tally (92) a whopping 28 clear ahead of Gold Coast’s Ben King in second on 64.

Playing in every game this season, Hogan finished his remarkable 2024 campaign with 77 majors, setting a new record for the most goals by a GIANT in a single season in club history.

In a year of firsts for the 29-year-old, can Hogan add a maiden club champion award to his trophy cabinet on Wednesday night

Brent Daniels 

Another vying for his first Kevin Sheedy Medal, Daniels cemented himself as one of the competition’s premier small forwards with a brilliant 2024 campaign.

A key cog in the GIANTS’ orange tsunami game style, Daniels was rewarded with an outstanding season with a maiden selection in the All-Australian squad.

One of the GIANTS’ most consistent performers across the season, Daniels averaged 18.1 disposals, 6.2 score involvements and 4.1 inside 50s per game to further establish himself as a star of the competition.

As well as kicking 23 goals of his own despite playing higher up the ground, Daniels also finished number one in the AFL for goal assists – a category he led for almost the entire season.

After making his maiden All-Australian squad, can Daniels take home his first Kevin Sheedy Medal?

Connor Idun 

A member of the GIANTS’ leadership group for a second straight season, Idun continued his rise as one of the competition’s most reliable mid-sized defenders with another strong 2024 campaign.

One of the league’s most versatile defenders, Idun was consistently able to nullify some of the competition’s best forwards once again to play a crucial role in the GIANTS’ top four finish.

After finishing sixth in last year’s count, Idun’s consistency across the 2024 season is sure to put his name in contention for a maiden club champion award on Wednesday night.

Jack Buckley

Finally fully fit and healthy, Buckley established himself as one of the competition’s most improved players last season and was able to take his game to even greater heights in 2024 to further cement himself as one of the AFL’s best key defenders.

Often partnering with Sam Taylor as arguably the competition’s best key defensive duo, Taylor’s absence in the middle part of the 2024 season through injury forced Buckley to take an even greater defensive role – one in which he thrived in.

Tasked with stopping some of the competition’s best key forwards, Buckley’s ability to negate his direct opponent saw him become one of the GIANTS’ most important players in season 2024.

After a career-best season, Buckley is sure to poll well on Wednesday night as he looks to improve on last year’s seventh-placed Kevin Sheedy medal finish.

To keep up to date with all the results from the 2023 Kevin Sheedy Medal on Thursday night, follow @GWSGIANTS on social media: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.