The Gundagai captain-coach became just the third man to win a second Group Nine best and fairest nod.

It was a thrilling vote count with the leading four players locked on 17 with two rounds to go.

Smart, Gundagai teammate Luke Berkrey, Temora’s Hayden Philp and ineligible former Young halfback Ray Talimalie before Smart drew with in the final two rounds.

In the end Smart polled six votes in the last three games to take the two-point win from Berkrey with Philp and Talimalie finishing one further back.

After claiming the win in 2012, the 27-year-old said it was special to win it a second time.

“It’s good to win but to win it for a second time is really nice,” Smart said.

However he would have been just as happy to share the honour with Berkrey.

“It would have been awesome to have shared it with him really,” Smart said.

“I’m the coach of the team so I should have a fair ideal of who is performing well each week.

“In my opinion he was awesome and as nice it is to the award a big part of me feels for him.”

Despite taking out the medal, Smart could only fill a bench spot in the Group Nine Team of the Year.

With the team voted on by the 11 coaches, Talimalie took the halfback role.

Berkey was named at lock with Tigers teammate Dane O’Hehir at fullback.

Premiers Southcity dominated the team with six players.

Usaia O’Sullivan (centre), Nathan Rose (five-eighth), Hayden Jeans and Jordan Shepherd (front row) plus Nick Skinner and Kyle McCarthy on the bench.

Skinner was also named as co-coach of the team.

Tumut’s Jarrad Teka was the other co-coach with the Blues captain Adam Pearce named in the second row.

Junee pair Daniel Foley (wing) and Trent Schubach (hooker) also made the team along with Kangaroos’ Tristan Dickson (wing), Tumbarumba’s Robbie Byatt (centre), Albury’s Levi Freeman (second row) while Hayden Philp also found himself on the bench.