STAR young defender Harry Dean has won the AFL Players’ Best First Year Player award.
Tonight’s announcement caps off a standout home-and-away season for the No.3 draft pick, where he has excelled in the Blues’ backline and earned the respect of his peers across the AFL competition.
A fierce competitor, Dean leads the team for total spoils and ranks No.3 in intercepts, an incredible achievement for a first-year player.
In just his 10th AFL game, Dean was also named as the Round 12 Rising Star nominee after racking up a then career-high 15 disposals and seven intercept possessions, the most of anyone in the game.
Playing a crucial role in Carlton’s defence, the 18-year-old has been regarded for this toughness and energy he brings to the group.
The father-son recruit brings an old school style to the side which has quickly earnt himself a cult following with the fans, exemplified when he kicked his first AFL goal in the side’s Round 21 victory against Brisbane.
Over the course of the season, Dean has been given critical roles and handled them with aplomb at such a young age, taking on the likes of Logan Morris, Mitch Georgiades and Nate Caddy in his first season of football.
Dean joins illustrious Carlton company by being crowned the AFLPA Best First Year Player, with co-vice captain Sam Walsh (2019) and former captain Marc Murphy (2006) also former winners.
AFL Senior Coach Josh Fraser said this announcement reflects the hard work Dean has put in after such a promising start to his AFL career.
"Harry's AFLPA Best First Year Player award is a fantastic achievement and reflects the competitor he is. He gives everything week after week, and to do that against some of the competition's best key forwards in his first year says a lot about his character," Fraser said.
"He has really developed as a person and a player since walking through the doors last year at IKON Park and has become a favourite both with the playing group and fans alike.
“Harry is the type of player that exemplifies a Club first attitude, every time he pulls on the Navy Blue jumper you can see how much it means to him. We're really proud of what he's achieved this season and can’t wait to see what’s next."
