Connor Rozee and Zak Butters, as well as fellow young star Dan Houston, have had standout years in 2023. Image: AFL Photos.

ZAK BUTTERS headlines Port Adelaide’s list of nominees for the AFL Players’ Association Most Valuable Player award for 2023.

Butters has had his most consistent season since arriving at the club at the end of 2018, with his permanent shift into the midfield seeing him average a career-high 27.4 disposals and 4.4 clearances per match.

The 22-year-old played every game this season has also booted 13 classy goals.

Butters’ fellow midfielder Connor Rozee and half-back flanker Dan Houston have also been nominated by their teammates for the MVP award.

Career-best years for Zak Butters and Dan Houston has seen them both recognised by the AFLPA. Image: AFL Photos.

Rozee was also nominated last season but has taken his game up a level in 2023, playing full-time in the middle. The 23-year-old is averaging nearly 26 disposals and five tackles per game, and has 19 goals in his 22 games so far.

Houston is one of the club’s more consistent performers, winning the ball back and driving the attack off half back. His booming right foot has been a feature, and he is averaging career-high numbers for disposals, metres gained, tackles and marks. His 41-disposal game against Carlton was a highlight, as was his after-the-siren heroics to win the game against Essendon in Round 16.

Dan Houston pictured kicking his famous after-the-siren goal against Essendon. Image: AFL Photos.

Butters has also been nominated for the Most Courageous player award while defender Tom McCallum is the club’s nominee as the Best First Year player.

The nomination for the MVP Award is a two-stage process. The first involves players nominating three teammates for the award, before three nominees from every club are presented to the wider playing group for a vote to decide the winner.

Players cannot vote for their own teammates in stage two of the process.

A similar process is followed for Best First Year player and Most Courageous, however just one player is nominated from each club.

Zak Butters has been nominated as 'Most Courageous', with the young star known to leave everything on the field. Image: AFL Photos.

The winners will be announced at the AFL Players’ MVP Awards event on Wednesday 30 August, broadcast live on Fox Footy.

Andrew Brayshaw (MVP), Nick Daicos (Best First Year), Liam Baker (Most Courageous), and Scott Pendlebury (Best Captain) were the 2022 award winners.

PORT ADELAIDE AFLPA MVP nominees

Best Captain – Tom Jonas

Best First Year Player – Tom McCallum

Most Courageous – Zak Butters

MVP – Zak Butters, Dan Houston, Connor Rozee