Swans coach John Longmire has paid tribute to Josh Kennedy's outstanding season of consistency after the classy inside midfielder claimed his second Bob Skilton Medal as Sydney's best and fairest at the club champion dinner at The Star on Friday night.
Kennedy was also awarded the Player's Player award and Paul Roos Award for best finals player. It caps off another triumphant campaign for the 27-year-old, who has now finished in the top three in Bob Skilton Medal polling in six successive years.
"Josh's season was outstanding and his consistency in being the only player to poll in every game was really impressive. He is able to perform at a high level week-in, week-out," Longmire said.
"He led the club in the key statistical areas of possessions, contested possessions, clearances and tackles.
"Josh continues to look for ways to improve his game and each season he delivers.
All-Australian midfielder Dan Hannebery finished runner-up and co-captain Kieren Jack was third.
Isaac Heeney won the rising star prize, Tom Mitchell was awarded most improved player and Rhyce Shaw was presented the best clubman award in his final season.
Kennedy, who joined the Swans from Hawthorn in 2010, twice achieved perfect 50-vote rounds in 2015, against Greater Western Sydney in round 21 and the qualifying final clash with Fremantle.
Against GWS, he had 35 disposals and kicked two goals. Against the Dockers, he contributed 39 touches and made eight tackles. In the game previous to the Dockers match, Kennedy had 31 touches in the Swans' 63-point win over Gold Coast, making him the second player, behind Collingwood's Dane Swan, to achieve 10 straight 30-plus games.
Kennedy averaged over 30 possessions per match in 2015, his highest yield yet, and also made a career high 6.2 tackles per game.
The star on-baller is the grandson of John Kennedy Sr, an AFL Hall of Fame member who coached Hawthorn to three premierships, and son of John Jr, who played 241 games for the Hawks between 1979 and 1991, including winning four flags.
He made his debut for the Hawks in round nine of 2008 but played just 13 games before he was traded to Sydney along with teammate Ben McGlynn.
Swans assistant coach Stuart Dew indicated last month that Kennedy had surpassed the club's expectations.
"I thought he could play AFL footy but I don't think you could have predicted the six years that he's had," Dew said.
"After his first year in Sydney, it was like 'Hang on, we thought he could play AFL footy but he's going to be something special' and it's turned out that way.
"For him there's not a lot more he can do. He regularly gets over 30 touches, impacts games at right times, he can hit the scoreboard, he can go forward and take marks."
Kennedy, who has played 158 games, was an All-Australian in the Swans' premiership year of 2012 and again in 2014, when he finished equal third in the Brownlow Medal. He was named the club's best and fairest in 2012.
It has been a big year in Kennedy's personal life, too. His wife Ana Calle gave birth to the couple's first child, Emilio, in April.
