Geelong champ Gary Ablett has an historic hat-trick of MVP awards, but believes he can still improve as an AFL star.

Ablett created history on Monday night in being voted by his peers as the AFL Players' Association's most valuable player for the third season running.

The midfielder became the first player to win the Leigh Matthews Trophy three times and move clear of former greats Greg Williams, Wayne Carey and Michael Voss, who all won two.

Ablett said he felt honoured to have been voted so highly by his peers, but was certain his best football was to come.

"Definitely, I still think I've got improvement in me," said Ablett, 25, now in his eighth season.

"I go into every pre-season and I look back on the season before and look at what areas I think I can improve my game in and how I think it can help the team best.

"You can always improve in areas.

"I think I'm just a very competitive person and I enjoy challenging myself."

Ablett said he was "stoked" to win the award, but stressed his main focus was helping the Cats win another premiership.

"We've got a good opportunity coming up hopefully and we're looking forward to that," he said.

"The No.1 reason we play football is to win a premiership and I'm sure that's all the players' No.1 goal - you're always going to put that before any individual success.

"We've got a great opportunity again this year, there's still a long way to go but we're going to enjoy the week off and look forward to the week after."

Last Saturday's win over the Western Bulldogs earned the Cats this weekend off and a berth in the preliminary final the following weekend.

Ablett polled 688 votes on a 3-2-1 basis from players across the league to comfortably finish in front of Collingwood midfielder Dane Swan (584), Carlton skipper Chris Judd (546) and St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt (343).

Ablett, whose father Gary senior won the award in 1993, has enjoyed another prosperous season in the middle of the ground, having amassed 654 disposals in the home and away season, including six hauls of 40 or more.

His teammate Joel Selwood was also an award winner, as he was voted the competition's most courageous player.

Lions young gun Daniel Rich added to last week's Rising Star title by being presented with the best first year player award.

Rich's skipper Jonathan Brown was voted the AFL's best captain.

St Kilda defender Max Hudghton was presented with an award which recognised education and training excellence, for combining his football with his work and study in the building industry.

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