| Year | Player | Height | Weight | Club | Age | Prior Games | Season Games | Season Goals | Drafted | From | Clubs | Career Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Zach Merrett | 180cm | 77kg | Essendon | 27 | 184 | 22 | 8 | #26 National 2013 | Cobden/Melbourne Grammar/Sandringham U18 | Essendon | 229 |
| 2022 | Peter Wright | 203cm | 100kg | Essendon | 25 | 87 | 22 | 53 | #8 National 2014 | Moonee Valley/Calder U18 | Gold Coast, Essendon | 133 |
| 2021 | Zach Merrett | 180cm | 77kg | Essendon | 25 | 142 | 23 | 4 | #26 National 2013 | Cobden/Melbourne Grammar/Sandringham U18 | Essendon | 229 |
| 2020 | Jordan Ridley | 192cm | 79kg | Essendon | 21 | 9 | 17 | 0 | #22 National 2016 | Knox/Box Hill HS/Oakleigh U18 | Essendon | 94 |
| 2019 | Zach Merrett | 180cm | 77kg | Essendon | 23 | 103 | 23 | 8 | #26 National 2013 | Cobden/Melbourne Grammar/Sandringham U18 | Essendon | 229 |
| 2018 | Devon Smith | 174cm | 76kg | Essendon | 24 | 109 | 22 | 17 | #14 National 2011 | Lara/Geelong Grammar/Geelong U18 | Greater Western Sydney, Essendon | 182 |
| 2017 | Joe Daniher | 201cm | 94kg | Essendon | 22 | 70 | 23 | 65 | #10 National 2012 | Aberfeldie/St Bernard's College/Calder U18 | Essendon, Brisbane | 201 |
| 2016 | Zach Merrett | 180cm | 77kg | Essendon | 20 | 37 | 22 | 7 | #26 National 2013 | Cobden/Melbourne Grammar/Sandringham U18 | Essendon | 229 |
| 2015 | Cale Hooker | 197cm | 98kg | Essendon | 26 | 111 | 22 | 21 | #54 National 2007 | Melville/East Fremantle | Essendon | 219 |
| 2014 | Dyson Heppell | 189cm | 85kg | Essendon | 21 | 62 | 22 | 6 | #8 National 2010 | Leongatha/Gippsland U18 | Essendon | 253 |
| 2013 | Brendon Goddard | 189cm | 94kg | Essendon | 27 | 205 | 22 | 18 | #1 National 2002 | Traralgon/Caulfield Grammar/Gippsland U18 | St Kilda, Essendon | 334 |
| 2012 | Jobe Watson | 191cm | 95kg | Essendon | 26 | 132 | 22 | 20 | #40 National 2002 | East Sandringham/Xavier College/Sandringham U18 | Essendon | 220 |
| 2011 | David Zaharakis | 185cm | 82kg | Essendon | 20 | 30 | 23 | 31 | #23 National 2008 | Eltham/Marcellin College/Northern U18 | Essendon | 226 |
| 2010 | Jobe Watson | 191cm | 95kg | Essendon | 24 | 94 | 21 | 10 | #40 National 2002 | East Sandringham/Xavier College/Sandringham U18 | Essendon | 220 |
| 2009 | Jobe Watson | 191cm | 95kg | Essendon | 23 | 72 | 22 | 10 | #40 National 2002 | East Sandringham/Xavier College/Sandringham U18 | Essendon | 220 |
| 2008 | David Hille | 202cm | 108kg | Essendon | 26 | 124 | 20 | 19 | #40 National 1999 | Peninsula Grammar/Dandenong U18 | Essendon | 197 |
| 2007 | James Hird | 188cm | 90kg | Essendon | 33 | 236 | 17 | 8 | #79 National 1990 | Ainslie | Essendon | 253 |
| 2006 | Scott Lucas | 192cm | 98kg | Essendon | 28 | 203 | 22 | 67 | #4 National 1994 | Camperdown/Geelong U18 | Essendon | 270 |
| 2005 | Jason Johnson | 180cm | 85kg | Essendon | 26 | 129 | 22 | 12 | #28 National 1996 | Kilmore/Assumption College/Calder U18 | Essendon | 184 |
| 2004 | Adam McPhee | 190cm | 89kg | Essendon | 21 | 49 | 21 | 15 | #39 National 2000 | Dandenong U18 | Fremantle, Essendon | 223 |
| 2003 | Scott Lucas | 192cm | 98kg | Essendon | 25 | 136 | 24 | 19 | #4 National 1994 | Camperdown/Geelong U18 | Essendon | 270 |
| 2003 | James Hird | 188cm | 90kg | Essendon | 29 | 168 | 18 | 13 | #79 National 1990 | Ainslie | Essendon | 253 |
| 2002 | Mark Johnson | 179cm | 83kg | Essendon | 23 | 62 | 24 | 5 | #12 Rookie 1996 | Calder U18 | Essendon, Fremantle | 208 |
| 2001 | Jason Johnson | 180cm | 85kg | Essendon | 22 | 40 | 24 | 21 | #28 National 1996 | Kilmore/Assumption College/Calder U18 | Essendon | 184 |
| 2000 | Dustin Fletcher | 198cm | 93kg | Essendon | 24 | 128 | 23 | 14 | Father-Son 1992 | PEGS/Western U18 | Essendon | 400 |
| 1999 | Mark Mercuri | 178cm | 77kg | Essendon | 24 | 110 | 21 | 32 | Keilor Park | Essendon | 207 | |
| 1998 | Damien Hardwick | 180cm | 82kg | Essendon | 25 | 65 | 23 | 0 | #87 National 1992 | Upwey-Tecoma/Springvale/St Joseph's College (Ferntree Gully)/North Melbourne U19s | Essendon, Port Adelaide | 207 |
| 1997 | Sean Denham | 177cm | 80kg | Essendon | 27 | 137 | 22 | 8 | Melton South | Geelong, Essendon | 186 | |
| 1996 | James Hird | 188cm | 90kg | Essendon | 22 | 64 | 24 | 39 | #79 National 1990 | Ainslie | Essendon | 253 |
| 1995 | James Hird | 188cm | 90kg | Essendon | 21 | 40 | 24 | 47 | #79 National 1990 | Ainslie | Essendon | 253 |
| 1994 | James Hird | 188cm | 90kg | Essendon | 20 | 20 | 20 | 27 | #79 National 1990 | Ainslie | Essendon | 253 |
| 1993 | Gary O'Donnell | 181cm | 85kg | Essendon | 27 | 113 | 24 | 14 | North Ringwood | Essendon | 243 | |
| 1992 | Mark Harvey | 184cm | 87kg | Essendon | 26 | 113 | 22 | 1 | Keilor | Essendon | 206 | |
| 1991 | Alan Ezard | 173cm | 68kg | Essendon | 27 | 145 | 23 | 7 | Essendon | 184 | ||
| 1990 | Mark Thompson | 177cm | 87kg | Essendon | 26 | 95 | 24 | 7 | Airport West | Essendon | 202 | |
| 1989 | Tim Watson | 185cm | 96kg | Essendon | 27 | 220 | 24 | 23 | Dimboola | Essendon, West Coast | 307 | |
| 1988 | Tim Watson | 185cm | 96kg | Essendon | 26 | 201 | 19 | 24 | Dimboola | Essendon, West Coast | 307 | |
| 1987 | Mark Thompson | 177cm | 87kg | Essendon | 23 | 67 | 18 | 16 | Airport West | Essendon | 202 | |
| 1986 | Glenn Hawker | 185cm | 84kg | Essendon | 24 | 136 | 23 | 16 | Kaniva | Essendon, Carlton | 227 | |
| 1985 | Tim Watson | 185cm | 96kg | Essendon | 23 | 167 | 24 | 27 | Dimboola | Essendon, West Coast | 307 | |
| 1984 | Simon Madden | 198cm | 99kg | Essendon | 26 | 197 | 24 | 27 | St Bernard's College | Essendon | 378 | |
| 1983 | Simon Madden | 198cm | 99kg | Essendon | 25 | 171 | 26 | 26 | St Bernard's College | Essendon | 378 | |
| 1982 | Terry Daniher | 188cm | 89kg | Essendon | 24 | 95 | 23 | 23 | South Melbourne, Essendon | 313 | ||
| 1981 | Neale Daniher | 188cm | 84kg | Essendon | 19 | 45 | 21 | 11 | St Patrick's College (NSW)/Assumption College/Ungarie | Essendon | 82 | |
| 1980 | Tim Watson | 185cm | 96kg | Essendon | 18 | 58 | 22 | 42 | Dimboola | Essendon, West Coast | 307 |