The AFL Coaches Association Best Emerging Player Award, formerly known as the Best Young Player Award, is presented in recognition of a player’s performances across their first two AFL seasons following their debut and is determined by the weekly votes of the AFL coaches in the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Award.
*Players are eligible to win this Award only during their second AFL season following debut.
| 2026 | Max Hall (St Kilda) |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Murphy Reid (Fremantle) |
| 2025 | Shaun Mannagh (Geelong Cats) |
| 2024 | Harry Sheezel (North Melbourne) |
| 2023 | Nick Daicos (Collingwood) |
| 2022 | Jai Newcombe (Hawthorn) |
| 2021 | Noah Anderson & Caleb Serong (GOLD COAST SUNS & FREMANTLE DOCKERS) |
| 2020 | Sam Walsh (Carlton) |
| 2019 | Tim Kelly (Geelong Cats) |
| 2018 | Tom Stewart (Geelong Cats) |
| 2017 | Clayton Oliver (Melbourne) |
| 2016 | Isaac Heeney (Sydney Swans) |
| 2015 | Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs) |
| 2014 | Jaeger O'Meara (Gold Coast Suns) |
| 2013 | Jeremy Cameron (GWS Giants) |
| 2012 | Dyson Heppell (Essendon) |
| 2011 | Nathan Fyfe (Fremantle) |
| 2010 | Stephen Hill (Fremantle) |
| 2009 | Cyril Rioli (Hawthorn) |
| 2008 | Joel Selwood (Geelong Cats) |
| 2007 | Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood) |
| 2006 | Ryan Griffen (Western Bulldogs) |
| 2005 | Adam Cooney (Western Bulldogs) |
| 2004 | Daniel Wells (North Melbourne) |
| 2003 | Chris Judd (West Coast Eagles) |
