Shaun Higgins claimed his second consecutive Syd Barker Medal on Friday night, capping off an impressive 2018 season.

Higgins, who polled 240 votes, edged out fellow midfielder Ben Cunnington (237) and Robbie Tarrant (218) in what was a tightly contested count.

The award caps off a career-best year for the 30-year-old, which saw him awarded his first All Australian jacket and poll a career-high number of votes in the Brownlow Medal.

Higgins kick-started the year in fine fashion back in March, extending his contract until the end of 2020, and repaid the club by producing some of the best numbers of his career.

The veteran midfielder averaged a personal-best 27.4 disposals across his 20 games, shrugging tags with ease and maintaining a professional approach to his preparation in order to overcome hurdles such as the birth of his first child on gameday, a serious concussion and minor knee surgery.

Ben Cunnington went close to claiming his second Syd Barker Medal, after he too averaged a career-high 25.6 disposals, and made a name for himself as one of the game’s best contested midfielders.

The 27-year-old cemented his status as one of the best contested midfielders in the league, ranking fifth in the league for contested possessions per game, eighth in clearances per game and seventh in stoppage clearances per game.

Key defender Robbie Tarrant finished in third place after another consistent season, in which he fought through injury for much of the second half of the year.

Ben Brown, who finished second in the Coleman Medal, came in fourth, while captain Jack Ziebell rounded out the top five after playing the majority of the season as a forward.

Syd Barker Medal Top 10

Shaun Higgins - 240

Ben Cunnington - 237

Robbie Tarrant - 218

Ben Brown - 216

Jack Ziebell, Trent Dumont - 215

Todd Goldstein - 206

Jed Anderson - 198

Scott Thompson - 196

Jamie Macmillan - 195

Other 2018 Winners

Shinboner of the Year: Kayne Turner

Harold Henderson Best Clubman Award: Jarrad Waite

Best Young Player Award: Paul Ahern

Mazda Excellence Award: Ben Cunnington and Shaun Higgins

Life membership: Jack Ziebell, Robbie Tarrant, Sam Wright and Dean Laidley