On Saturday night, Hawthorn Football Club will hold its 2013 best and fairest awards, the Peter Crimmins Medal.

The coaches will also award players deemed to be the best player in finals, most consistent, most promising and best first year player.

hawthornfc.com.au takes a look at who might be in contention to win each, with the first of the series focusing on Best Player in Finals.

Shaun Burgoyne
His finals series will be best remembered for his three-goal match-winning performance in the Preliminary Final but each of his three finals matches were just as good as the other. He gathered 26 disposals against the Swans in the Qualifying Final, 24 touches and three goals against the Cats and 14 possessions in the Grand Final victory. He was one of the side’s more versatile players too, enjoying stints in defence, up forward and in the midfield.

Jack Gunston
The young forward was one of the standouts across the finals series, with his performances in the Preliminary and Grand Finals his best. He kicked four goals in each and was unlucky not to be awarded the North Smith Medal in the premiership win. He arrived as a player on the big stage, kicking 11 goals in three matches and gathering 16, 21 and 16 disposals in the three games.

Brian Lake
The 2013 Norm Smith medallist probably saved his best performances of the year for the finals series. In the Qualifying Final he kept in-form Swans forward Kurt Tippett to just eight disposals and in the prelim completely blanketed Geelong forward Tom Hawkins. His ability to read the ball in the air is his strength, as is his one-on-one ability, both of which were on show during the finals. He also kept Matthew Pavlich to three goals in the Grand Final, a performance not many could overlook.

Sam Mitchell
Although kept relatively quiet in the Grand Final, Mitchell’s performances in the Qualifying and Preliminary Finals were impressive. Many said his 38 disposal effort against the Cats in the prelim was the best game of his career, and it’s little wonder why given his leadership and ball use was exemplary. He also gathered 29 touches against the Swans in the Qualifying Final.

Grant Birchall
After missing two months in the middle of the year, Birchall returned in the latter stages of the season to have a real impact for the Hawks. He has an excellent finals series in which he averaged 26 disposals and was damaging off half back and through the midfield. He made his presence felt too by using his body well and imposing himself on the contest. He was named in the best in each of the three finals games.

David Hale
Hale was an important player for the Hawks during the finals series given he came up against Sydney’s Shane Mumford and Fremantle’s Aaron Sandlilands in the Grand Final. He competed well with Max Bailey in the ruck duals and pushed forward to also have an impact inside 50. He kicked four goals in the three games.

Josh Gibson
Going into the Grand Final the Hawks had conceded just two less points than the Dockers, and kept them to just 62 points in the decider. Gibson and his defensive partner Lake were a big part of Hawthorn’s ability to nullify the opposition forwards and he capped off another great year a with stellar finals series. As he’d done all year too, he was an offensive weapon off hald back with 27, 178 and 19 touches in the three games.