Magarey Medal

Magarey Medal. The Magarey Medal is the highest individual honor awarded to the best and fairest player in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) each season. Named in honor of William Ashley Magarey, a key administrator and former chairman of the league, the award has been presented since the 1898 season. It is one of Australian rules football's oldest and most prestigious individual awards, predating the Brownlow Medal by over two decades, and recognizes both excellence and sportsmanship on the field.

History

The award was instituted by the South Australian Football Association (SAFA), the forerunner to the SANFL, following the 1897 season. It was named for William Ashley Magarey, who served as SAFA chairman from 1887 to 1895 and was a pivotal figure in establishing a unified code of rules in South Australia. The inaugural winner in 1898 was Alfred "Alf" Bushby of the Norwood Football Club. The medal's history is intertwined with the development of the league itself, surviving through periods of significant change including two world wars, the formation of the Australian Football League (AFL), and the subsequent shifting of several SANFL clubs to the national competition. The presentation ceremony is a major event on the South Australian football calendar, traditionally held at the Adelaide Convention Centre.

Eligibility and voting

Eligibility is restricted to players competing in the SANFL's senior men's competition. The core criterion is that the winner must be adjudged the "best and fairest" player, with any player suspended for an on-field offence during the home-and-away season rendered ineligible. The voting system has evolved over time; since 1998, a 3-2-1 vote system has been employed, where the three field umpires for each match confer to award votes to the three best players, irrespective of team. These votes are tallied confidentially throughout the season, with the winner revealed at the end-of-season awards night. This system replaced earlier methods, including a champion of the colony vote and a countback system used for many years.

Multiple winners

Winning the award on multiple occasions is a rare feat that signifies sustained excellence. The record for the most wins is held by Russell Ebert, a legend of the Port Adelaide Football Club, who won four times (1971, 1974, 1976, 1980). Several other notable players have won the medal three times, including Barrie Robran of the North Adelaide Football Club (1968, 1970, 1973) and Scott Morphett of the Glenelg Football Club (1984, 1986, 1987). Other dual winners form an illustrious list, featuring champions like Bob Quinn (1938, 1945), Geof Motley (1959, 1963), and Nathan Buckley (1992, 1994), the latter winning before his celebrated AFL career with the Collingwood Football Club.

Notable winners

The roster of winners includes many of the greatest names in South Australian football history, many of whom also achieved fame at the national level. Early stars include Dan Moriarty, a key figure for the Sturt Football Club in the early 20th century. The post-war era saw winners like Len Fitzgerald and John Halbert. The 1970s and 1980s were dominated by legends such as Russell Ebert, Barrie Robran, and Michael Aish. More recent winners who later forged successful AFL careers include Byron Pickett (1996), James Allan (2000), Zac Milbank (2005), and James Boyd (2011). The award has been won by players from every club that has competed in the league, with the West Adelaide Football Club's Frank Marlow being one of the earliest celebrated recipients.

Trivia and records

The youngest ever winner is Glenelg's Chris McDermott, who was 18 years and 147 days old when he won in 1982. The oldest winner is North Adelaide's John Platten, who was 34 years and 236 days old upon his victory in 1999. The largest winning margin occurred in 1986 when Scott Morphett won by 17 votes. Perhaps the most famous tied result was in 1965, when the medal was awarded jointly to Port Adelaide's Geof Motley and Sturt's Bob Shearman. In a unique historical footnote, the 1916 and 1917 medals were retrospectively awarded decades later due to disruptions caused by World War I. The medal itself is a gold medallion bearing the image of William Ashley Magarey. Category:Australian rules football trophies and awards Category:South Australian National Football League