Collingwood gun Steele Sidebottom has retained his lead at the top of the Gary Ayres Award for the coaches' best player in the finals after an outstanding performance in the Pies' Preliminary Final win over Richmond.

Sidebottom's 41 disposals saw him grab eight votes, with Mason Cox and Taylor Adams awarded seven each and Brodie Grundy five.

Jack Riewoldt was the only Tiger to poll, nabbing three votes for his five goals. 

Every round, the AFL coaches vote for the best players from their game. The coaches vote for five players, giving them a mark from 1-5. The maximum a player can score is 10 (with five votes from both coaches).

Steele Sidebottom and Brodie Grundy embrace after the victory over Richmond that put the Pies in the Grand Final (AFL Photos)

RICHMOND v COLLINGWOOD
8 Steele Sidebottom (COLL)
7 Taylor Adams (COLL)
7 Mason Cox (COLL)
5 Brodie Grundy (COLL)
3 Jack Riewoldt (RICH)

WEST COAST v MELBOURNE
10 Jack Redden (WCE)
6 Jamie Cripps (WCE)
6 Josh Kennedy (WCE)
6 Shannon Hurn (WCE)
1 Jack Darling (WCE)
1 Scott Lycett (WCE)

GARY AYRES AWARD LEADERBOARD
23 Steele Sidebottom (COLL)
17 Jack Redden (WCE)
12 Taylor Adams (COLL)
10 Dylan Grimes (RICH)
10 Jack Viney (MELB)
10 Elliot Yeo (WCE)
9 Toby Greene (GWS)
9 Tom McDonald (MELB)
9 Sam Weideman (MELB)
8 Phil Davis (GWS)
8 James Harmes (MELB)
8 Brayden Maynard (COLL)
7 Mason Cox (COLL)
7 Dustin Martin (RICH)
7 Callan Ward (GWS)
6 Jamie Cripps (WCE)
6 Jack Gunston (HAW)
6 Shannon Hurn (WCE)
6 Neville Jetta (MELB)
6 Josh Kennedy (WCE)