PADDY Dow has been acknowledged for his 2022 VFL campaign with the Carlton Reserves, taking home the team’s Best and Fairest on Thursday night.

In the second year of the Carlton Reserves program, the 22-year-old midfielder won the award ahead of VFL-listed Alex Cincotta (second place) as well as Will Hayes (third place).

Dow led the way for the VFL Blues in a year where they achieved their first top-eight berth in over a decade, also going on to be named the team’s Best Finals Player.

Averaging 29 disposals for the season, Dow’s ability to win possession and drive out of congestion was duly recognised. Hitting the scoreboard regularly, Dow kicked 15 goals from his 16 home-and-away season games, while also averaging over seven clearances a game to be Carlton’s go to at the centre bounce.

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Highlights | Dow takes home VFL Best and Fairest

Paddy Dow won the 2022 Carlton Reserves' VFL Best and Fairest award: here's his best work.

What was most impressive about Dow’s performances was the way in which he managed to fight through constant attention from opposition midfielders, often fighting through a tag to end the game as one of the Blues’ best on a number of occasions.

He had 37 disposals in a four-point win over Coburg in Round 14, while his Round 2 performance against Box Hill - where he collected 30 disposals, 15 clearances and two goals - was arguably his most complete.

Cincotta's second-place finish was richly deserved in his first full season of football for a number of years, overcoming past injuries to provide some dash and drive from the back half for the Blues: he played every game for the season, averaging over 20 disposals.

Hayes rounded out the podium in a year where the Blue - whose form for the Carlton Reserves saw him selected in the mid-season rookie draft - also found a spot in the VFL Team of the Year.

Following in his sister’s footsteps, Joel Trudgeon was named the Carlton Reserves’ Best Young Player, just five months after sister Paige was crowned Rookie of the Year for the AFLW side back in season six.

Rounding things out was Best Clubmen, with Jesse Glass-McCasker and Matt Shannon - both members of the team’s leadership group - ending with the worthy acknowledgment.