The answer depends entirely on how you determine 'success'. Since players consistently state that they play to win premierships, it might be best to measure success in terms of premiership wins.
If so, the most successful player is Michael Tuck of Hawthorn who played in 7 premiership wins. For his part, also, he still holds the record at 426 games for the most AFL/VFL games played by any player in a long illustrious career.
On the other hand, as you have used the word, "individual": If we measure the success of an individual according to the most prestigious individual award, which has traditionally been the state's premier league's 'Best and Fairest' award - especially the [now] AFL Brownlow Medal, then the clear winner would be Haydn Bunton Snr, who won 3 Brownlow Medals, then moved west to promptly win Western Australia's most prestigious football award, the Sandover Medal, also 3 times.
So, in effect, Bunton won the state's top award 6 times during a relatively short career!!
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