▁to ▁all ▁players ▁throughout ▁the ▁league . ▁Play ers ▁cannot ▁vote ▁for ▁their ▁own ▁team m ates ; ▁in ▁fact , ▁the ▁ball ots ▁sent ▁to ▁each ▁team ▁are ▁red act ed ▁to ▁remove ▁that ▁team ' s ▁nom ine es . ▁Each ▁player ▁awards ▁three ▁votes ▁to ▁the ▁player ▁he ▁bel ieves ▁is ▁the ▁best ▁in ▁the ▁league , ▁two ▁votes ▁to ▁the ▁second - best , ▁and ▁one ▁vote ▁to ▁the ▁third - best . ▁The ▁leading ▁vote - get ter ▁receives ▁the ▁tro phy . ▁Prior ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁each ▁player ▁cast ▁a ▁single ▁vote ▁for ▁the ▁award . ▁ ▁The ▁award ▁is ▁roughly ▁analog ous ▁to ▁the ▁Brown low ▁Medal , ▁the ▁traditional ▁" best ▁and ▁fair est " ▁award ▁in ▁the ▁league . ▁However , ▁the ▁voting ▁system ▁is ▁completely ▁different : ▁the ▁Brown low ▁Medal ▁awards ▁votes ▁on ▁a ▁game - by - game ▁basis , ▁while ▁Le igh ▁Matt he ws ▁Tro phy ▁awards ▁a ▁single ▁vote ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁entire ▁season . ▁In ▁particular , ▁this ▁has ▁meant ▁that ▁key - position ▁players ▁have ▁been ▁more ▁likely ▁to ▁win ▁this ▁award ▁than ▁the ▁Brown low ▁Medal . ▁For ▁example , ▁Wayne ▁Care y , ▁generally ▁regarded ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁league ' s ▁all - time ▁great ▁key ▁position ▁players , ▁never ▁won ▁the ▁Brown low , ▁but ▁won ▁this ▁honour ▁twice . ▁ ▁The ▁Le igh ▁Matt he ws ▁Tro phy ▁is ▁strictly ▁for ▁the ▁most ▁valuable ▁player , ▁not