Courage is quality exemplified by the very best in the AFL – the players who put their bodies on the line week in, week out, to get their team over the line. 

It's a quality epitomised by Carlton greats, including Ken Hunter, Wayne Johnston, and Garry Crane.

And courage is a quality embodied by Carlton vice captain Kade Simpson, who coincidentally also happens to wear Crane's No.6 jumper. 

When the chips are down, Simpson stands tall –  bumping, diving and tackling his way through matches.

Simpson's efforts haven't gone unnoticed with the 29-year-old this week nominated for the Robert Rose Most Courageous Award by the AFL Players Association. 

Since its inception in 1991, the award has only been won by one other Carlton player, which was David Teague in 2004, while Carlton assistant coach Gavin Brown took out the award in '91 and '92. 

Meanwhile Simpson, along with Chris Judd and Lachie Henderson, have been nominated for the AFL Player's Association's Leigh Matthews Trophy, which is awarded to the Most Valuable Player in the league. 

Judd has won the award twice in 2006 and 2011, while Anthony Koutoufides and Greg Williams are the only other Carlton players to have won the MVP award since it was introduced in 1982. 

The winners will be announced on Tuesday 10 September at the AFL Player's Association's MVP Awards night.