Before 1935 a variety of awards were given out, but it was not until that year that an actual "Best and Fairest" club championship was established.

Best player awards before 1935 include;

Year	Winner
1885	Billy Carroll
1934	Percy Beames

In 1943 the championship became known as the Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Cup in honor of the dual premiership player and fighter pilot who died during World War 2.

Other top five trophies are named after:

2nd - Sid Anderson
3rd - Ron Barassi Sr
4th - Ivor Warne-Smith
5th - Dick Taylor

The cup was later replaced with a medal and has been awarded under various voting systems since it's inception.

Year	Winner	Votes	Runner Up
1935	Allan La Fontaine
1936	Allan La Fontaine (2)
1937	Jack Mueller
1938	Norm Smith
1939	Jack Mueller (2)
1940	Ron Baggott
1941	Allan La Fontaine (3)
1942	Allan La Fontaine (4)
1943	Don Cordner
1944	Norm Smith (2)		Don Cordner
1945	Fred Fanning
1946	Jack Mueller (2)
1947	Wally Lock
1948	Alby Rodda
1949	Len Dockett		Denis Cordner
1950	Denis Cordner		Lance Arnold
1951	Noel McMahen		Lance Arnold
1952	Geoff McGivern		Denis Cordner
1953	Ken Melville		Denis Cordner
1954	Denis Cordner (2)		Noel McMahen
1955	Stuart Spencer	69	Denis Cordner	68
1956	Stuart Spencer (2)	87.5	John Beckwith	87
1957	John Beckwith
1958	Laurie Mithen
1959	Laurie Mithen (2)
1960	Brian Dixon		Ian Ridley
1961	Ron Barassi		Frank Adams
1962	Hassa Mann		Ron Barassi
1963	Hassa Mann (2)		Ron Barassi
1964	Ron Barassi (2)		Hassa Mann
1965	John Townsend		Hassa Mann
1966	Terry Leahy		Tassie Johnson
1967	Hassa Mann (3)		Stan Alves
1968	Ray Groom		Tassie Johnson
1969	John Townsend (2)		Greg Parke
1970	Frank Davis		Barry Bourke
1971	Greg Wells		Paul Callery
1972	Stan Alves		Greg Wells
1973	Carl Ditterich		Greg Wells
1974	Stan Alves (2)		Carl Ditterich
1975	Laurie Fowler		Stan Alves
1976	Greg Wells (2)	132	Laurie Fowler	121
1977	Robert Flower	104	Shane Grambeau	92
1978	Garry Baker	126	Greg Wells	96
1979	Laurie Fowler (2)	118	Robert Flower	105
1980	Laurie Fowler (3)	43	Robert Flower	41
1981	Steven Smith	367	Brent Crosswell	250
1982	Steven Icke	388	Robert Flower	324
1983	Alan Johnson	402	Robert Flower	361
1984	Gerard Healy	362	Peter Moore	306
1985	Danny Hughes	279	Gerard Healy	273
1986	Greg Healy	237	Garry Lyon	172
1987	Steven Stretch	342	Brian Wilson	320
1988	Steven O'Dwyer	487	Brett Lovett	427
1989	Alan Johnson (2)	278	Steven Stretch	207
1990	Garry Lyon	301	Brett Lovett	271
1991	Jim Stynes	650	Todd Viney	449
1992	Glenn Lovett	463	Andy Lovell	320
1993	Todd Viney	394	Glenn Lovett	279
1994	Garry Lyon (2)	355	Stephen Tingay	319
1995	Jim Stynes (2)	311	David Neitz	272
1996	Jim Stynes (3)	444	Alastair Clarkson	284
1997	Jim Stynes (4)	404	Todd Viney	355
1998	Todd Viney (2)	347	Adem Yze	323
1999	David Schwarz	271	Shane Woewodin	270
2000	Shane Woewodin	341.5	Jeff White	328
2001	Adem Yze	331	David Neitz	228
2002	David Neitz	336	Cameron Bruce	295
2003	Russell Robertson	267	James McDonald	240
2004	Jeff White	287	Nathan Brown	286
2005	Travis Johnstone	316	Russell Robertson	262
2006	James McDonald	464	Cameron Bruce	317
2007	James McDonald (2)	256	Nathan Jones	190
2008	Cameron Bruce	75	Brock McLean	60
2009	Aaron Davey	82	Brent Moloney	69
2010	Brad Green	295	James Frawley	277
2011	Brent Moloney	227	Jared Rivers	201
2012	Nathan Jones	368	Jack Grimes	348
2013	Nathan Jones (2)	365	Colin Garland	360
2014	Nathan Jones (3)	311	Dom Tyson	293
2015	Bernie Vince	328	Jack Viney	327
2016	Jack Viney	407	Nathan Jones	399
2017	Clayton Oliver	530	Jack Viney	346
2018	Max Gawn	657	Clayton Oliver	595
2019	Max Gawn Clayton Oliver	464
2020	Christian Petracca	385	Steven May	362

Multiple winners
4 - Allan La Fontaine, Jim Stynes
3 - Laurie Fowler, Nathan Jones, Hassa Mann
2 - Stan Alves, Ron Barassi, Denis Cordner, Max Gawn, Alan Johnson, Garry Lyon, James McDonald, Laurie Mithen, Jack Mueller, Clayton Oliver, Norm Smith, Stuart Spencer, John Townsend, Todd Viney, Greg Wells

Media
Argus - 07/04/1886
Age - 23/09/1955
melbournefc.com.au - 11/09/2015
melbournefc.com.au - 23/09/2020