GOLD Coast captain Gary Ablett has won the AFL Players' Association's Most Valuable Player Award for a record-breaking fourth time. 

Ablett was awarded the Leigh Matthews Trophy, the only player award voted on by his peers, on Monday night. 

No other player has won the award more than twice and Ablett is the first player in a decade to be named MVP without playing finals. 

He polled 788 votes to finish ahead of Essendon skipper Jobe Watson (602 votes) Trent Cotchin (495), Dayne Beams (377) with Josh Kennedy and Patrick Dangerfield (both 256) equal fifth. 

It is the first time Ablett has won the award since crossing to Gold Coast at the end of 2010, after being a three-time winner (2007, 2008, 2009) at Geelong. 

Ablett said leading a younger, less successful club had improved him as a player.

"Being the captain up there, I've had to change a few things about how I've gone about football on the field and off the field," Ablett told reporters.

"There's no doubt that although I'm 28 now I'm going to keep trying to improve my game and hopefully help the team get a premiership."

Ablett was sensational in 2012, leading the League in kicks (389) and averaging an equal career-high 33.8 disposals a game.

It caps a big week for Ablett who on Saturday night was named the Suns' club champion for the second year running.

AFLPA president Matt Finnis said Ablett's record is as impressive as any player to have won the award during its 30-year history.

"To win one MVP is a significant achievement, but to be voted by your peers as the League’s Most Valuable Player on four separate occasions is nothing short of remarkable," Finnis said. 

Ablett has two premierships, a Brownlow Medal, five All Australian guernseys and four best and fairest awards. 

The MVP is awarded by players voting for three teammates before all players vote in a 3,2,1 preference from the list of 51 nominees (three players from all clubs excluding their own). 

In other awards, Essendon's Jobe Watson was named the AFL's best captain, ahead of Joel Selwood and Matthew Pavlich.

Selwood also shared the Robert Rose Most Courageous Award with Eagles defender Beau Waters, with Saints veteran Lenny Hayes third.  

Greater Western Sydney forward Jeremy Cameron won the award for best first-year player, with mature aged recruits Dayne Zorko and Ahmed Saad second and third respectively.

Monday night's function opened with a minute's silence in honour of Port Adelaide midfielder John McCarthy, who tragically passed away in Las Vegas earlier this week. 

AFLPA MVP Award voting:
1. Gary Ablett                  788
2. Jobe Watson               602
3. Trent Cotchin              495
4. Dayne Beams             377
5. Patrick Dangerfield    256
5. Josh P. Kennedy        256
7. Matthew Pavlich         222
8. Tom Hawkins             134
9. Scott Thompson        118
10. Drew Petrie              107

Previous winners of the Leigh Matthews Trophy for Most Valuable Player
1982 - Leigh Matthews (Hawthorn)
1983 - Terry Daniher (Essendon)
1984 - Russell Greene (Hawthorn)
1985 - Greg Williams (Geelong)
1986 - Paul Roos (Fitzroy)
1987 - Tony Lockett (St Kilda)
1988 - Gerard Healy (Sydney)
1989 - Tim Watson (Essendon)
1990 - Darren Millane (Collingwood)
1991 - Jim Stynes (Melbourne)
1992 - Jason Dunstall (Hawthorn)
1993 - Gary Ablett Snr (Geelong)
1994 - Greg Williams (Carlton)
1995 - Wayne Carey (North Melbourne)
1996 - Corey McKernan (North Melbourne)
1997 - Robert Harvey (St Kilda)
1998 - Wayne Carey (North Melbourne)
1999 - Shane Crawford (Hawthorn)
2000 - Anthony Koutoufides (Carlton)
2001 - Andrew McLeod (Adelaide)
2002 - Luke Darcy (Western Bulldogs)
2002 - Michael Voss (Brisbane)
2003 - Michael Voss (Brisbane)
2004 - Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda)
2005 - Ben Cousins (West Coast)
2006 - Chris Judd (West Coast)
2007 - Gary Ablett (Geelong
2008 - Gary Ablett (Geelong)
2009 - Gary Ablett (Geelong)
2010 - Dane Swan (Collingwood)
2011 - Chris Judd (Carlton)