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Sydney star Lance Franklin has been crowned as the AFL Players’ Association Most Valuable Player of the Month for the first time.

Franklin claimed August’s MVP of the Month with 30 per cent of the player vote after kicking 18 goals in four games from rounds 20-23.

The 30-year-old put the exclamation mark on his big month with 10 goals and 25 disposals against Carlton in the last round of the season.

Sydney won its four games in August as they charged towards a home final, and Franklin was pivotal to their success, averaging 18 disposals and six inside 50s per game to go along with his impressive goal tally.

“Over the last month Buddy has reminded us why he is regarded as football’s most sensational player,” 1988 AFLPA MVP, Gerard Healy said.

“His performance in Round 23 was as good an individual performance we’ve seen for a long time. He totally dominated the game and once again stamped his mark as one of the players who will determine the outcome at the end of September.”

Richmond’s Dustin Martin came second with 25 per cent of the vote, narrowly missing his third MVP of the Month nod in a row, while Adelaide’s Matt Crouch (18 per cent) rounded out the top three after averaging 37 disposals this month.

GWS Giant Josh Kelly, West Coast’s Josh Kennedy and Geelong’s Patrick Dangerfield were the remaining nominees.

Franklin is automatically nominated for the end-of-season AFL Players’ Association MVP Award (Leigh Matthews Trophy).

He is joined by Adelaide’s Rory Sloane (March/April), Josh Kelly (May) and Dustin Martin (June and July) who were previously voted as the MVP of the Month by their peers.

VOTING PROCESS

The MVP winners (Leigh Matthews, Chris Judd, Gerard Healy and Tim Watson) nominate six players they believe to be the best for the month Current players will then vote to decide who they believe is the MVP of the Month from the six nominees The monthly winner is automatically nominated for the end-of-season AFL Players’ MVP Award (Leigh Matthews Trophy).

VOTING PERIODS

March/April — Rounds 1-6 — Rory Sloane

May — Rounds 7-10 — Josh Kelly

June — Rounds 11-15 — Dustin Martin

July — Rounds 16-19 — Dustin Martin

August — Rounds 20-23 — Lance Franklin