Norm Smith Medal
Encyclopedia
The Norm Smith Medal is the award given in the AFL
Grand Final
to the player adjudged by an independent panel of experts to have been the best player in the match.
player and coach, Norm Smith
. It was named in his honour mostly due to his coaching feats in Grand Finals: he coached six Melbourne premiership sides.
As with most individual awards in team sports, the Norm Smith Medal is usually awarded to a player on the winning side. Only four players have won the award in losing sides: Maurice Rioli
in 1982, Gary Ablett, Sr. in 1989, Nathan Buckley
in 2002 and Chris Judd
in 2005. It is notable that Ablett, Buckley and Judd won their medals in very close Grand Finals, whereas Rioli won his in the 1982 Grand Final, despite his team being convincingly beaten by Carlton
.Chris Judd is the only player to go on and play in a winning premiership team(West Coast 2006) after his Norm Smith medal in 2005 in a losing team. Buckley Rioli and Ablett did not play in a VFL/AFL premiership team.
Gary Ayres
and Andrew McLeod
are the only players to have won the medal twice. In the 1997 and 1998 grand finals McLeod won consecutive Norm Smith Medals, and to date remains the only man ever to achieve this feat. The first winner of the medal, Wayne Harmes
, was Norm Smith's nephew.
There is no chance of a tie for the medal; if two players are tied for votes, the following countbacks will apply in order:
In the case of a grand final being drawn and a replay being required, a separate Norm Smith Medal is awarded in each game.
1 – Two medals were awarded as the grand final was drawn, and a second match was played the following week.
2 – Winner played on losing team
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
to the player adjudged by an independent panel of experts to have been the best player in the match.
History
The Norm Smith Medal is named after former MelbourneMelbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
player and coach, Norm Smith
Norm Smith
Norman Walter "Norm" Smith was an Australian rules football player and coach in the Victorian Football League. After 200 games as a player with Melbourne and Fitzroy, Smith began a twenty year coaching career, including a fifteen year stint at Melbourne...
. It was named in his honour mostly due to his coaching feats in Grand Finals: he coached six Melbourne premiership sides.
As with most individual awards in team sports, the Norm Smith Medal is usually awarded to a player on the winning side. Only four players have won the award in losing sides: Maurice Rioli
Maurice Rioli
Maurice Rioli was an Australian rules football player best known for his time spent with the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League...
in 1982, Gary Ablett, Sr. in 1989, Nathan Buckley
Nathan Buckley
Nathan Charles Buckley is a former professional Australian rules football player, commentator and coach, best known for his time as captain of the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
in 2002 and Chris Judd
Chris Judd
Christopher Dylan "Chris" Judd is a professional Australian rules footballer and current captain of the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
in 2005. It is notable that Ablett, Buckley and Judd won their medals in very close Grand Finals, whereas Rioli won his in the 1982 Grand Final, despite his team being convincingly beaten by Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
.Chris Judd is the only player to go on and play in a winning premiership team(West Coast 2006) after his Norm Smith medal in 2005 in a losing team. Buckley Rioli and Ablett did not play in a VFL/AFL premiership team.
Gary Ayres
Gary Ayres
Gary Ayres is a former Australian rules footballer for the Hawthorn Football Club and currently the senior coach for the Port Melbourne Football Club in the Victoria Football League.-Playing career:...
and Andrew McLeod
Andrew McLeod
Andrew Luke McLeod is a former Australian rules footballer for the Adelaide Football Club. He is the games record holder for Adelaide, having played 340 games....
are the only players to have won the medal twice. In the 1997 and 1998 grand finals McLeod won consecutive Norm Smith Medals, and to date remains the only man ever to achieve this feat. The first winner of the medal, Wayne Harmes
Wayne Harmes
Wayne Harmes is a retired Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.-Football career:Recruited from Oak Park, as a youngster Harmes was perceived to have a lot of talent, winning The Sun newspapers' "Sunkick" competition. Added to this was the fact he was a grandson of Len Smith...
, was Norm Smith's nephew.
Voting
The medal is voted for by a panel of five experts from the media, with one member designated as the chairman. The panel-members independently award 3-2-1 votes to the players they adjudge to be the best three players in the game. These votes are tallied, and the highest number of votes wins the medal.There is no chance of a tie for the medal; if two players are tied for votes, the following countbacks will apply in order:
- the player with the higher number of 3-votes;
- the player with the higher number of 2-votes;
- the player deemed best by the panel chairman.
In the case of a grand final being drawn and a replay being required, a separate Norm Smith Medal is awarded in each game.
List of winners
| Year | Winner | Club | Winning team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 1979 VFL Grand Final The 1979 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 29 September 1979. It was the 83rd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to... |
Wayne Harmes Wayne Harmes Wayne Harmes is a retired Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.-Football career:Recruited from Oak Park, as a youngster Harmes was perceived to have a lot of talent, winning The Sun newspapers' "Sunkick" competition. Added to this was the fact he was a grandson of Len Smith... |
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| 1980 1980 VFL Grand Final The 1980 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Richmond Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 27 September 1980. It was the 84th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to... |
Kevin Bartlett | ||
| 1981 1981 VFL Grand Final The 1981 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 26 September 1981. It was the 85th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to... |
Bruce Doull Bruce Doull Bruce Doull is a former Australian rules football player who played for the Carlton Football Club.... |
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| 1982 1982 VFL Grand Final The 1982 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Richmond Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 25 September 1982. It was the 86th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine... 2 |
Maurice Rioli Maurice Rioli Maurice Rioli was an Australian rules football player best known for his time spent with the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League... |
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| 1983 1983 VFL Grand Final The 1983 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Hawthorn Football Club and Essendon Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 24 September 1983. It was the 87th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine... |
Colin Robertson Colin Robertson (Australian rules footballer) Colin Robertson is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League from 1980 until 1986.... |
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| 1984 1984 VFL Grand Final The 1984 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and Hawthorn Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 29 September 1984. It was the 88th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine... |
Billy Duckworth Billy Duckworth Bill Duckworth is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the VFL. He is best known for winning the 1984 Norm Smith Medal. His brother John also played league football.... |
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| 1985 1985 VFL Grand Final The 1985 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and Hawthorn Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 28 September 1985. It was the 89th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine... |
Simon Madden Simon Madden Simon Madden was an Australian rules footballer for the Essendon Football Club from 1974 until 1992. He was also president of the AFL Players Association from 1985 until 1989.... |
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| 1986 1986 VFL Grand Final The 1986 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Hawthorn Football Club and Carlton Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 27 September 1986. It was the 90th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine... |
Gary Ayres Gary Ayres Gary Ayres is a former Australian rules footballer for the Hawthorn Football Club and currently the senior coach for the Port Melbourne Football Club in the Victoria Football League.-Playing career:... |
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| 1987 1987 VFL Grand Final The 1987 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Hawthorn Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 26 September 1987. It was the 91st annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine... |
David Rhys-Jones David Rhys-Jones David Rhys-Jones is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Carlton Football Club and the Sydney Swans in the VFL/AFL. The highlight of his 182 game career was winning the Norm Smith Medal as best on ground in Carlton's 1987 Grand Final victory... |
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| 1988 1988 VFL Grand Final The 1988 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Hawthorn Football Club and the Melbourne Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 24 September 1988. It was the 92nd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to... |
Gary Ayres Gary Ayres Gary Ayres is a former Australian rules footballer for the Hawthorn Football Club and currently the senior coach for the Port Melbourne Football Club in the Victoria Football League.-Playing career:... |
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| 1989 1989 VFL Grand Final The 1989 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Hawthorn Football Club and the Geelong Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 30 September 1989. It was the 93rd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine... 2 |
Gary Ablett, Sr. | ||
| 1990 1990 AFL Grand Final The 1990 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Collingwood Football Club and the Essendon Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 6 October 1990. It was the 94th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football... |
Tony Shaw Tony Shaw Anthony 'Tony' Shaw is a former Australian rules footballer, coach and media personality.-Playing career:Shaw was recruited to Collingwood from Reservoir-Lakeside to make his debut in 1977 alongside brother Ray... |
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| 1991 1991 AFL Grand Final The 1991 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Hawthorn Football Club and West Coast Eagles, held at Waverley Park in Melbourne on 28 September 1991. It was the 95th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, staged to... |
Paul Dear Paul Dear Paul Dear is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Hawthorn.A half forward flanker, Dear made his debut in the 1987 season and played in that year's Grand Final... |
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| 1992 1992 AFL Grand Final The 1992 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and West Coast Eagles, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 26 September 1992. It was the 96th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League,... |
Peter Matera | ||
| 1993 1993 AFL Grand Final The 1993 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and Carlton Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 25 September 1993. It was the 97th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football... |
Michael Long | ||
| 1994 1994 AFL Grand Final The 1994 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and West Coast Eagles, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 1 October 1994. It was the 98th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League,... |
Dean Kemp Dean Kemp Dean Kemp is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League.... |
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| 1995 1995 AFL Grand Final The 1995 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and Carlton Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 30 September 1995. It was the 99th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football... |
Greg Williams | ||
| 1996 1996 AFL Grand Final The 1996 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the North Melbourne Football Club and Sydney Swans, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 28 September 1996. It was the 100th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football... |
Glenn Archer Glenn Archer Glenn Archer is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played his entire career with the North Melbourne Football Club.Archer had a reputation as one of the most courageous players ever to play the game... |
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| 1997 1997 AFL Grand Final -Match details:-References:... |
Andrew McLeod Andrew McLeod Andrew Luke McLeod is a former Australian rules footballer for the Adelaide Football Club. He is the games record holder for Adelaide, having played 340 games.... |
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| 1998 1998 AFL Grand Final -Match details:-References:... |
Andrew McLeod Andrew McLeod Andrew Luke McLeod is a former Australian rules footballer for the Adelaide Football Club. He is the games record holder for Adelaide, having played 340 games.... |
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| 1999 1999 AFL Grand Final The 1999 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between and , held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 25 September 1999. It was the 103rd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, staged to determine the premiers for the... |
Shannon Grant Shannon Grant Shannon Grant is a retired Australian rules footballer who was known as one of the premier midfielders in the AFL. He began his career at the Sydney Swans in 1995 before moving to the Kangaroos in 1998 and being a part of their 1999 premiership side, in which he also won the Norm Smith Medal for... |
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| 2000 2000 AFL Grand Final The 2000 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and the Melbourne Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 2 September 2000. It was the 104th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian... |
James Hird James Hird James Hird is a former professional Australian rules footballer and the current coach of the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League.... |
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| 2001 2001 AFL Grand Final The 2001 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and the Brisbane Lions, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 29 September 2001. It was the 105th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football... |
Shaun Hart Shaun Hart Shaun Hart is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played his entire Australian Football League at the Brisbane Lions where he was a premiership winning utility player known for his courage... |
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| 2002 2002 AFL Grand Final The 2002 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Brisbane Lions and the Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 28 September 2002. It was the 106th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football... 2 |
Nathan Buckley Nathan Buckley Nathan Charles Buckley is a former professional Australian rules football player, commentator and coach, best known for his time as captain of the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League .... |
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| 2003 2003 AFL Grand Final The 2003 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Brisbane Lions and the Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 27 September 2003... |
Simon Black Simon Black Simon Black is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League.Black is a midfielder with a reputation for hard work and skill... |
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| 2004 2004 AFL Grand Final The 2004 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Port Adelaide Football Club and the Brisbane Lions, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 25 September 2004. It was the 108th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football... |
Byron Pickett Byron Pickett Byron Pickett is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played with three clubs in the AFL. He was known as a big game player as well as for his strength, hard bumps and tough approach to the game. Pickett is one of 12 players with two premiership medallions, a Norm Smith Medal... |
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| 2005 2005 AFL Grand Final The 2005 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 24 September 2005. It was the 109th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, staged to... 2 |
Chris Judd Chris Judd Christopher Dylan "Chris" Judd is a professional Australian rules footballer and current captain of the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League .... |
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| 2006 2006 AFL Grand Final The 2006 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 30 September 2006. It was the 110th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, staged to... |
Andrew Embley Andrew Embley Andrew Embley is an Australian rules footballer currently playing for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League.-Early life:Andrew Embley was born to Maurice and Anne Embley on 27 June, 1981, in Perth, Western Australia... |
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| 2007 2007 AFL Grand Final The 2007 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and the Port Adelaide Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 29 September 2007. It was the 111th annual Grand Final of the VFL/AFL, staged to determine the... |
Steve Johnson | ||
| 2008 2008 AFL Grand Final The 2008 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football match contested between the Geelong Football Club and the Hawthorn Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on the 27th of September 2008... |
Luke Hodge Luke Hodge Luke Hodge is a professional Australian rules footballer with the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League... |
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| 2009 2009 AFL Grand Final The 2009 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the St Kilda Football Club and the Geelong Football Club at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 26 September 2009... |
Paul Chapman | ||
| 2010 2010 AFL Grand Final The 2010 AFL Grand Final is either of two Australian rules football contests between the Collingwood Football Club and the St Kilda Football Club. Together they are considered the 114th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, and were staged to determine the... 1 |
Lenny Hayes Lenny Hayes Lenny Hayes is a professional Australian rules footballer playing with St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League.Hayes is a former captain of St Kilda and continues to be an onfield leader in the Saints' midfield.... |
Draw | |
| Scott Pendlebury Scott Pendlebury Scott Pendlebury is a professional Australian rules football player who plays for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League .- Early life :... |
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| 2011 2011 AFL Grand Final The 2011 Australian Football League Grand Final was an Australian rules football match, played to determine the premiers of the 2011 season. It was contested between the Collingwood Football Club and the Geelong Football Club.... |
Jimmy Bartel Jimmy Bartel James 'Jimmy' Bartel is an Australian rules footballer for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League . A midfielder at and , Bartel is a Brownlow Medallist, two-time All-Australian, and was part of the Cats' AFL premiership-winning teams in 2007, 2009 and 2011, being named the... |
1 – Two medals were awarded as the grand final was drawn, and a second match was played the following week.
2 – Winner played on losing team
See also
- Michael Tuck MedalMichael Tuck MedalSince 1992, the Michael Tuck Medal has been awarded to the best-and-fairest player in the AFL Pre-season Cup Final. It is named after Michael Tuck, the current AFL games record holder who played 426 senior matches for the Hawthorn Hawks between 1972 and 1991....
- Brownlow MedalBrownlow MedalThe Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
- Coleman MedalColeman MedalThe Coleman Medal is awarded yearly to the Australian Football League player who kicks the most goals in regular-season matches in that year...
- Clive Churchill MedalClive Churchill MedalThe Clive Churchill Medal has been presented to the man-of-the-match of the National Rugby League's annual Grand Final match ever since the 1986 season. The award was created to honour Clive Churchill, one of the greatest rugby league players in Australian history, following his death in 1985...