Seb Ross, Jake Carlisle and Dylan Roberton are St Kilda’s nominees for the 2017 Leigh Matthews Trophy, which is the AFL Player’s Association award presented to the most valuable player in the competition as voted by the players.

Each player nominates three teammates for the award in the first stage of the voting process, before three nominees from each club are presented to the wider playing group for a vote to decide the most valuable player in the AFL. Players cannot vote for their own teammates in the second stage.

Ross and Roberton were recognised for their standout seasons with spots in the All-Australian squad last month, while Carlisle entrenched himself at the centre of St Kilda’s defence in 2017.

After a breakout season in 2016, Ross elevated his game to another level in 2017, becoming one of the best ball winners in the competition to enter the elite bracket of midfielders in the game this season.

Roberton, who inked a four-year contract extension last week that ties him to the club until the end of 2021, also produced a career best season in 2017 to emerge as one of the more damaging rebounding defenders in the land.

And much like a handful of other players embroiled in the Essendon supplement saga, Carlisle returned to the game with a vengeance this season, demonstrating why the Saints were prepared to pay such a high price for him at the end of 2015.

At the award ceremony on Tuesday night, the AFL Players’ Association will also award the Robert Rose Most Courageous prize and the best first-year player award.

St Kilda Captain Jarryn Geary has been nominated as the Saints most courageous player, while rookie tall Rowan Marshall has been nominated as the club’s best first-year player after he made his debut against Sydney late in the season.

AFL Player MVP Award

Nominees: Jake Carlisle, Dylan Roberton, Seb Ross
Most Courageous: Jarryn Geary
Best First-Year Player: Rowan Marshall