WHO WILL win the 2011 Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott Trophy when it is announced this Friday night at Crown?

Will the winner come from defence with the likes of James Frawley and Colin Garland in the mix? Could a ball-winner such as Brent Moloney or Nathan Jones take home ‘Bluey’? Or could emerging forward Jack Watts or the much-improved Stef Martin claim their first best-and-fairest award?

Others such as Jack Trengove, Colin Sylvia and Jared Rivers will also be right in contention.

melbournefc.com.au editor Matt Burgan takes a look at the leading candidates and some of the smokies for this year’s best and fairest award.

2011 Melbourne best and fairest contenders

James Frawley: After being named All-Australian in 2010, Frawley’s pre-season was rocked with a pectoral injury. But he bounced back to again play a key role in defence, regularly manning the premier forwards in the game.

Colin Garland: The Tasmanian defender produced a consistent season, passing the 50-game milestone along the journey. Garland missed four games midway through the season with an ankle injury, but finished 2011 strongly.  

Brad Green: The reigning Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott Memorial Trophy winner was appointed captain in 2011. Green kicked 37 goals this year, and although he still spent some time in the midfield, he predominantly played up forward.

Jordan Gysberts: The second-year Demon became a regular, until a scaphoid injury ended his year prematurely. He received his second NAB AFL Rising Star nomination, and reaffirmed his status as one of the club’s best prospects.

Mark Jamar: The ruckman started the season in fine form and continued on with his 2010 All-Australian form, before a knee injury interrupted his year. He missed six matches from rounds eight to 13.

Nathan Jones: Elevated into the leadership group for 2011, the tenacious ball-winner achieved his most consistent season and again displayed his outstanding durability. He finished with 507 disposals.

Liam Jurrah: Led Melbourne’s goalkicking with 40 goals - his best haul for a season. He also kicked eight bags of three goals this season. His best effort was five goals against Brisbane Lions in round three.

Stef Martin: One of the AFL’s most improved players in 2011, the versatile tall became an integral part of the team. Martin shouldered the load - and blossomed - when ruckman Mark Jamar was sidelined from rounds eight to 13.

Jordie McKenzie: The hard-at-it midfielder didn’t play his first match until round nine against St Kilda, after a groin injury interrupted sidelined him early in the year. But he returned to play the remaining 15 rounds.

Brent Moloney: One of Melbourne’s top performers in 2011, Moloney started with a bang and was regularly among the team’s best this season. He finished with 509 disposals - the best by a Demon this year. 

Ricky Petterd: The forward played 15 matches for the season. Petterd’s four goals against Adelaide in round seven and 14 tackles against Richmond in round 14 were among his highlights.

Jared Rivers: Elevated to joint vice-captaincy in 2011, Rivers had a solid season down back. His defensive set-up and ability to spoil were features of his game. He is now one of Melbourne’s most experienced listed players.

Colin Sylvia: Although Sylvia missed three of the last five rounds, Sylvia produced some fine efforts in 2011. His 29-disposal, five-goal performance in round 22 was one of the best individual Melbourne displays in 2011.  

Jack Trengove: In just his second AFL season, the midfielder/forward’s poise and leadership often belied his youthfulness. He is one of the club’s most integral players long-term.

Jack Watts: The key forward developed strongly as the season progressed. Watts showed the football fraternity that he has a massive future, and will be a decade-plus player for the Demons.

2011 snapshot/form guide

Round 1
Sunday, 27 March 2011
Melbourne vs Sydney Swans, MCG (H)
Melbourne 11.18 (84) drew with Sydney 11.18 (84)
GOALS
Melbourne: Green 2, Dunn 2, Jurrah 2, Sylvia, Jetta, Moloney, Jones, Bennell
Sydney Swans: McGlynn 3, Bolton 3, Goodes 2, Reid, Everitt, White
BEST
Melbourne: Sylvia, Garland, Moloney, Trengove, Tapscott, Green, Dunn
Sydney Swans: Richards, Jack, Bolton, McGlynn, O’Keefe, McVeigh, Grundy

Round 2
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Hawthorn vs Melbourne, MCG (A)
Hawthorn 16.26 (122) d. Melbourne 12.5 (77)
GOALS
Hawthorn: Burgoyne 4, Roughead  2, Franklin 2, Suckling  2, Bateman, Bruce, Rioli, Ladson, Shiels, Osborne
Melbourne: Dunn 2, Green 2, Jurrah 2, Jamar, Trengove, Bennell, Petterd, Davey, Watts
BEST
Hawthorn: Rioli, Suckling, Burgoyne, Shiels, Young, Gilham
Melbourne: Tapscott, Sylvia, Jamar, Grimes, Bail, Garland

Round 3
Sunday, 10 April 2011
Melbourne vs Brisbane Lions, MCG (H)
Melbourne 12.10 (82) d. Brisbane 11.5 (71)
GOALS
Melbourne: Jurrah  5, Wonaeamirri,  Gysberts, Grimes, Sylvia, Bennell, Dunn, Moloney
Brisbane Lions: Power 4, Banfield 2, Polkinghorne, Leuenberger, Redden, Clark, Rockliff
BEST
Melbourne: Jamar, Jurrah, Moloney, Gysberts, Sylvia, Jones, Frawley
Brisbane Lions: Clark, Power, Adcock, Banfield, Black, Raines, Polec

Round 4
Sunday, 17 April 2011
Gold Coast vs Melbourne, GABBA (A)
Melbourne 23.21 (159) d. Gold Coast 9.15 (69)
GOALS
Melbourne: Jurrah 3, Morton 3, Davey 2, Trengove 2, Dunn 2, Green 2, Jamar 2, Wonaeamirri 2, Moloney, Sylvia, Bail, Jones, Bennell
Gold Coast: Smith 2, Swallow 2, Stanley, Fraser, Matera, Shaw, Magin
BEST
Melbourne: Moloney, Trengove, Davey, Grimes, Jamar, Jurrah,
Gold Coast: Swallow, Rischitelli, Brennan, McKenzie

Round 5 - Bye

Round 6
Thursday, 28 April 2011
West Coast vs Melbourne, Patersons Stadium (A)
West Coast 15.16 (106) d. Melbourne 6.16 (52)
GOALS
West Coast: Darling 3, Lynch 3, Embley 3, Kennedy 2, Nicoski 2, LeCras, Rosa
Melbourne: Jones, Sylvia, Davey, Moloney, Watts, Dunn
BEST
West Coast: Priddis, Kerr, Cox, Ebert, S Selwood, A Selwood, Nicoski
Melbourne: Garland, Jamar, Grimes, Jones, Watts

Round 7
Sunday, 8 May 2011
Melbourne vs Adelaide, MCG (H)
Melbourne 22.17 (149) d. Adelaide 8.5 (53)
GOALS
Melbourne: Petterd 4, Sylvia 4, Jurrah 3, Watts 2, Wonaeamirri 2, Green 2, Dunn, Tapscott, Bartram, Bate, Jones
Adelaide: Tippett 3, Reilly  2, Thompson, van Berlo, McKernan
BEST
Melbourne: Moloney, Jones, Sylvia, Davey, Green, Maric, Trengove, Frawley
Adelaide: Jaensch, Reilly, van Berlo, Johncock, Schmidt

Round 8
Saturday, 14 May 2011
North Melbourne vs Melbourne, Etihad Stadium (A)
North Melbourne 19.10 (124) d. Melbourne 12.11 (83)
GOALS
North Melbourne: Edwards 6, Wells 3, Harvey 3, Hansen 2, Goldstein 2, Adams, Speight, Harper
Melbourne:  Jurrah 3, Maric 3, Newton 2, Petterd 2, Watts, Bartram
BEST
North Melbourne: Wells, Edwards, Swallow, Goldstein, Garlett
Melbourne: Davey, Warnock, Martin, Frawley, Watts

Round 9
Saturday, 21 May 2011
St Kilda vs Melbourne, Etihad Stadium (A)
St Kilda 16.10 (106) d. Melbourne 13.8 (86)
GOALS
St Kilda: Milne 3, Riewoldt 3, Montagna 2, Cripps 2, Ray, Jones, Siposs, Schneider, Polo, Peake
Melbourne: Jurrah 3, Green 2, Watts 2, Maric 2, Newton 2, Petterd, Gysberts
BEST
St Kilda: Montagna, Jones, Armitage, Milne, Riewoldt, Gilbert, Peake
Melbourne: Jones, Moloney, Evans, Maric, Watts, Gysberts

Round 10
Friday, 27 May 2011
Melbourne vs Carlton, MCG (H)
Carlton 13.15 (93) d. Melbourne 6.10 (46)
GOALS
Carlton:  O’hAilpin 3, Walker 2, Betts 2, Waite 2, Murphy, Yarran, Armfield, Garlett
Melbourne: Sylvia, Petterd, Jurrah, Rivers, Newton
BEST
Carlton: Judd, Murphy, Gibbs, Robinson, Jamison, Simpson
Melbourne: Frawley, Rivers, Green, Macdonald, Jones

Round 11
Friday, 3 June 2011
Essendon vs Melbourne, MCG (A)
Melbourne 15.11 (101) d. Essendon 10.8 (68)
GOALS
Melbourne: Green 4, Jurrah 3, Jetta 2, Moloney 2, Sylvia, Watts, Scully, Howe
Essendon: Ryder 2, Melksham, Stanton, Hardingham, Howlett, Hille, Monfries, Zaharakis, Crameri
BEST
Melbourne: McKenzie, Jones, Scully, Martin, Green, Gysberts
Essendon: Melksham, Lonergan, Heppell, Hibbert

Round 12
Monday, 13 June 2011
Melbourne vs Collingwood, MCG (H)
Collingwood 19.15 (129) d. Melbourne 6.5 (41)
GOALS
Collingwood: Cloke 6, Krakouer 2, Pendlebury 2, Ball 2, McCarthy, Fasolo, Wellingham, Brown, Dawes, Didak, Blair
Melbourne: Sylvia 4, Howe, Jurrah
BEST
Collingwood: Wellingham, Cloke, Reid, Sidebottom, Ball
Melbourne: Sylvia, Frawley, Watts, Scully, Moloney

Round 13
Sunday, 19 June 2011
Melbourne vs Fremantle, MCG (H)
Melbourne 22.17 (149) d. Fremantle 8.12 (60)
GOALS
Melbourne: Green 5, Martin 3, Watts 3, Howe 2, Jurrah 2, Frawley, Gawn, Nicholson, Petterd, Sylvia, Trengove, Jones
Fremantle: Johnson 3, Mayne 2, Pavlich, Pearce, McPharlin
BEST
Melbourne: Martin, Green, McKenzie, Watts, Scully, Howe
Fremantle: Fyfe, Barlow, Mzungu, Johnson, McPharlin

Round 14
Saturday, 25 June 2011
Richmond vs Melbourne, MCG (A)
Melbourne 17.16 (118) d. Richmond 13.13 (91)
GOALS
Richmond: Vickery 3, Farmer 2, Newman 2, Deledio, Edwards, Foley, Grigg, Riewoldt, Martin
Melbourne: Watts 3, Green 3, Trengove 3, Jones 2, Martin 2, Jurrah  2, Howe, Sylvia
BEST
Richmond: Foley, Deledio, Newman, Nahas, Edwards, Houli, Vickery 
Melbourne: Moloney, Watts, Jones, Frawley, Scully, Green, Petterd, Jamar

Round 15
Friday, 1 July 2011
Western Bulldogs vs Melbourne, Etihad Stadium (A)
Western Bulldogs 19.13 (127) d. Melbourne 8.15 (63)
GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Giansiracusa 4, Hall 3, Griffen 2, Higgins 2, Dahlhaus 2, Ward 2, Gilbee, Cooney, Picken, Grant
Melbourne: Petterd 2, Howe 2, Watts 2, Trengove, Sylvia
BEST
Western Bulldogs: Griffen, Cooney, Ward, Giansiracusa, Picken, Higgins
Melbourne: Trengove, Petterd, Howe, Moloney

Round 16 - Bye

Round 17
Saturday, 16 July 2011
Melbourne vs Port Adelaide, TIO Stadium (H)
Melbourne 17.11 (113) d. Port Adelaide 14.8 (92)
GOALS
Melbourne: Jurrah 3, Maric 3, Petterd 3, Green 2, Martin 2, Gysberts, Jones, Nicholson, Sylvia
Port Adelaide: Banner 3, Cornes 3, Gray 2, Hitchcock 2, Cassisi, Hartlett, Pearce , Thomas
BEST
Melbourne: Petterd, Martin, Sylvia, Moloney, Frawley, Trengove, Maric, Jurrah
Port Adelaide: C. Cornes, Thomas, Banner, Cassisi, O'Shea, Pearce, K.Cornes, Hartlett, Jacobs

Round 18
Sunday, 24 July 2011
Melbourne vs Hawthorn, MCG (H)
Hawthorn 20.12 (132) d. Melbourne 12.6 (78)
GOALS
Hawthorn:  Franklin 5, Breust 3, Rioli 3, Hodge 2, Osborne 2, Mitchell, Lewis, Ellis, Hale, Smith
Melbourne: Green 4, Howe 3, Dunn 2, Sylvia, Bate, Petterd
BEST
Hawthorn: Sewell, Franklin, Mitchell, Hodge, Rioli, Bailey, Birchall
Melbourne: Green, Martin, Howe, Dunn, Jones

Round 19
Saturday, 30 July 2011
Geelong vs Melbourne, Skilled Stadium (A)
Geelong 37.11 (233) d. Melbourne 7.5 (47)
GOALS
Geelong:  Johnson 7, Hawkins 5, Mooney 5, Stokes 3, Varcoe 3, Duncan 3, Bartel 2, Corey 2, West 2 Mackie, Ottens, Ling, Christensen, Selwood
Melbourne:  Dunn 2, Bate, Howe, Trengove, Watts, Jurrah
BEST
Geelong: Johnson, Corey, Selwood, Enright, Mooney, Varcoe
Melbourne: Dunn, McKenzie

Round 20
Saturday, 6 August 2011
Melbourne vs Carlton, MCG (A)
Carlton 21.8 (134) d. Melbourne 7.16 (58)
Carlton: Ellard  3, Judd  2, Scotland  2, Walker  2, Garlett  2, Gibbs 2, Robinson, Kreuzer, McLean, Thornton, Betts, Joseph, Warnock, Henderson
Melbourne: Watts 2, Dunn  2, Green, Howe, Davey
BEST
Carlton: Judd, Gibbs, Scotland, Warnock, Ellard, Murphy
Melbourne: Watts, Garland, Rivers, Macdonald, Dunn

Round 21
Sunday, 14 August 2011
Melbourne vs West Coast, Etihad Stadium (H)
West Coast 16.14 (110) d. Melbourne 9.8 (62)
GOALS
Melbourne:  Howe 3, Petterd, Dunn, Watts, Sylvia, Trengove, Morton
West Coast:  Nicoski 3, LeCras 3, Kennedy 2, Cox 2, Kerr, Scott Selwood, Naitanui, Adam Selwood, Priddis, Embley
BEST
Melbourne:  Howe, Frawley, MacDonald, Jones, Blease, Garland
West Coast:  Gaff, Priddis, Embley, Shuey, Schofield, Cox, Brown

Round 22
Sunday, 21 August 2011
Melbourne vs Richmond, MCG (H)
Richmond 17.15 (117) d. Melbourne 17.8 (110)
GOALS
Melbourne: Sylvia 5, Jones 3, Jurrah 3, Trengove 2, Watts, Bennell, Green, Petterd
Richmond: Miller 3, Martin 3, Riewoldt 2, Foley 2, King, Graham, Jackson, Nahas, Webberley, Cotchin, Edwards
BEST
Melbourne: Sylvia, Jones, McKenzie, Bartram, Frawley
Richmond: Foley, Miller, Houli, Grigg, Tuck, Martin

Round 23
Sunday, 28 August 2011
Melbourne vs Gold Coast, MCG (H)
Melbourne 17.10 (112) d. Gold Coast 12.10 (82)
GOALS
Melbourne: Green 4, Jurrah 3, Moloney 3, Howe 2, Jones, Tapscott, Martin, Garland, Jetta
Gold Coast: Bennell 2, Smith 2, Rischitelli 2, Russell 2, Swallow, Stanley, N. Ablett, Thompson
BEST
Melbourne: Blease, Garland, Moloney, Jones, Jamar, Green, McDonald
Gold Coast: Rischitelli, G. Ablett, Swallow, Prestia, Stanley

Round 24
Sunday, 4 September 2011
Port Adelaide vs Melbourne, Adelaide Oval (A)
Port Adelaide 17.10 (112) d. Melbourne 15.14 (104)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Westhoff 4, Ebert 3, Rodan 2, Boak 2, Banner, Gray, Motlop, Butcher, Salopek, Schulz
Melbourne: Jones 2, McKenzie 2, Green 2, Martin 2, Morton, Bate, Jamar, Trengove, Howe, Jetta, Fitzpatrick
BEST
Port Adelaide: Westhoff, Gray, Boak, Ebert, Motlop, Salopek, Rodan
Melbourne: Moloney, Trengove, McKenzie, Jones, Howe, Bate