Running back into packs and always putting his head over the ball - GIANTS co-captain Callan Ward is about as brave as they come.

Not surprisingly then, the 25-year-old was voted by his peers as the league’s second most courageous player at the AFL Players’ MVP Awards in Melbourne.

The top honour went to tough Swans midfielder Luke Parker.

It’s the second consecutive season Ward has come runner-up in the category after narrowly losing to Geelong captain Joel Selwood in 2014.

Continually setting the example for his young GIANTS teammates, Ward led the club in tackles this season, averaging five per game.

He also capped off a consistent season with an average of 25 disposals and was one of only four GIANTS to play every single game this year.

Ward joined the GIANTS as an uncontracted player from the Western Bulldogs and became one of the inaugural co-captains of the club in 2012.

Ward is a hard-running midfielder from Spotswood in the Western Suburbs of Melbourne.

His grandfather, Bill Gunn, played for South Melbourne from 1952 to 1959 and captained the team in 1955.

After being narrowly pipped two years in a row for the Most Courageous player title, many believe next season Ward could go one better.