EMERGING Geelong forward Tom Hawkins says he's thrilled to win the 2009 Army Award.

The AFL Army Award was introduced in 2007 and celebrates on-field displays of courage, initiative and teamwork.

It is voted on by the public each weekend via the AFL website, and Hawkins won with 54 per cent of the votes from the final nominees.

The 21-year-old won for his smother and then second-effort chase and tackle against Fremantle in round 22.

"It's great honour, and it's good that they have an award sponsored by Army that covers things like that, the one-percenters," he said after he was announced as the winner.

Former North Melbourne great Glenn Archer, the AFL ambassador for the award and winner of the Robert Rose Award for Most Courageous Player six times in nine years, said Hawkins was a worthy recipient.

"He's a really fitting winner, I think he's come on in leaps and bounds in the last 12 months," Archer told afl.com.au.

"It was always going to take a while with him being such a big lad, but he's done really well.

"And I think he's found some form at the right time as well, going in to the finals.

"One of the great things about the award is that it's voted on by the public through the AFL website."

But Archer was quick to point out that there were many acts from many players that could win the award demonstrated every weekend.

"Judging the acts on courage, initiative and teamwork, it's very hard to break it down to three each week.

"There's probably a good 600 each weekend, so it's a tough one to narrow it down, so to get nominated each week, as one of the three, you've done pretty well."

Hawkins agreed that such acts were a requirement in order to play football.

"Like we've seen with the nominees and guys that were selected in the All-Australian team, you see them doing that sort of stuff as well".

"So it's not uncommon, and it is a great privilege to win."