Opinion Is it time for some clubs to re-name their Best & Fairest awards?

Feb 17, 2010
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adelaide
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Port Adelaide
Looking over the names of all the clubs B&F awards, it appears from the outside that some are named after players who in comparison to others, have received significantly fewer playing or coaching accolades over their careers for their respective clubs.

I mean no disrespect to these past players and they have obviously had huge impacts on their clubs and the development of the game in their own rights. However, is it time for a changing of the guard for some teams and who would you name it after for your club?

Changing the name would show greater recognition of clubs recent history rather than some going back to the 1920s/30s. As we can see below, some of the clubs have named their awards after player who I’m sure had a huge significance at their club, but may have since had others go well and truly past them in terms of influence and achievements.

I dont know the full stories behind a number of these players who have had the award named after them or the significane they played at their club, however I would argue that perhaps Melbourne, Bulldogs, Geelong, North Melbourne, Hawthorn, St Kilda, Essendon and Collingwood would all have past players deserving of the award being changed in their name.

There is precedence where clubs have changed the name of their B&F from one individual to another.

Between 1927-55 the Western Bulldogs went from the McCarthy trophy, to the Con Weickhardt trophy, to the Charlie Sutton medal all in the space of 30 years.

In 2004, Carlton changed the name of their B&F from a the Robert Reynolds Trophy to John Nicholls.

There is some very limited info that the Saints B&F was previously the C T Suhr trophy before the 90s.

There is references to the Geelong B&F previously being named the Theo Lewis Cup before the Carji Greeves medal too.

Melbourne:
Keith William "Bluey" Truscott
44 games and 31 goals
Enlisted in the RAAF in WW2

Bulldogs:
Charlie Sutton (42-56)
173 games 65 goals playing
162 games as coach
1x B&F, 1 x club Leading Goal kicker, Bulldogs Premiership coach

Port Adelaide:
John Cahill (58-73)
264 games 286 goals
624 games coached (inc Coll 47, West Ade 69 and South Ade 20)
4 x Premiership player, 4 x B&F, 1 x club Leading Goal kicker, 10 x Port Premiership coach,

Geelong
Carji Greeves (23-33)
124 games 17 goals
2 x VFL premiership player, 1924 Brownlow medalist (first awarded)

Swans:
Bon Skilton (56-71)
237 Games 412 goals
3 x Brownlow, 9 x B&F, 3 x club Leading Goal kicker

North Melbourne
-Syd Barker (1907-27)
-68 games 25 goals. VFA/VFL (57 Essendon)
-61 games coaches (43 Essendon)
-4 x Nth premiership player, 2 x Essendon Premiership Coach

Hawthorn
-Peter Crimmins (66-75)
-176 games 231 goals
-1 x Premiership player
-Tragically passed away aged 28 with testicular cancer

St Kilda
-Trevor Barker (75-89)
-230 games 134 goals
-2 x B&F

Fremantle
-George Doig (33-45)
-202 games 1095 goals
-3 x premiership player, 6 x WA LG, 9 x club Leading Goal kicker

West Coast
-John Worsfold (86-98)
-233 games 41 goals
-387 games coach (281 WCE)
-1 x B&F, 2 x Premiership player, 1 x Premiership coach

Adelaide
-Malcolm Blight (68-82)
-330 games 786 goals
-364 games coach (74 with Ade)
-2 x VFL premiership player, Brownlow medalist, Coleman medalist, 4 x North Leading Goal kicker, Margery medal, Ken farmer medal, 2 x AFL premiership coach (Ade)

Carlton
-John Nicholls (57-74)
-328 Games, 307 Goals
-97 Games coach of Carlton
-3 X VFL Premiership player, 5 x B&F, 1 X Simpson Medal, Carlton's first 300 game player and 1 X Premiership Coach

Richmond
-Jack Dyer (31-49)
-311 Games, 443 Goals
-222 Games coach of Richmond
-2 X VFL Premiership Player, 5 X B&F, 2 x club Leading Goal kicker, 1X VFL Premiership Coach

Essendon
-Wally Crichton
-No games played
-Essendon committee member 1926-31, Vice President 32-40, President 41-59 and VFL Delegate 34-58

GWS
-Kevin Sheedy (67-79)
-251 Games, 91 Goals (Richmond)
-634 Games Coach (Essendon), 44 GWS Coach
-Inaugural GWS Coach, 3 x VFL Premiership Player, 1 X B&F, 4 X V/AFL Premiership Coach

Gold Coast
-Simply referred to as 'Club Champion Award'

Brisbane
-Merrett-Murray
-Merrett (78-96) / Murray (55-66)
-Merrett 313 Games, 433 Goals (149 Essendon, 164 Brisbane Bears)
-Murray 377 Games, 71 Goals (333 Fitzroy, 44 East Perth)
-Merrett awards - VFL Gardiner Medal, 2 x Essendon Premiership player, 3 x Brisbane Bears Leading Goal kicker
-Murray awards - 1 x Brownlow medalist, 9 X Fitzroy B&F, 2 X All Australian, East Perth B&F

Collingwood
-Copeland Trophy
-Named after Ern Copeland who was the club secretary in 1895, retiring in 1924.
 
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Hawthorn
-Peter Crimmins (66-75)
-176 games 231 goals
-1 x Premiership player
-Tragically passed away aged 28 with testicular cancer

No is the answer to your question.
 
Looking over the names of all the clubs B&F awards, it appears from the outside that some are named after players who in comparison to others, have received significantly fewer playing or coaching accolades over their careers for their respective clubs.

I mean no disrespect to these past players and they have obviously had huge impacts on their clubs and the development of the game in their own rights. However, is it time for a changing of the guard for some teams and who would you name it after for your club?

Changing the name would show greater recognition of clubs recent history rather than some going back to the 1920s/30s. As we can see below, some of the clubs have named their awards after player who I’m sure had a huge significance at their club, but may have since had others go well and truly past them in terms of influence and achievements.

I dont know the full stories behind a number of these players who have had the award named after them or the significane they played at their club, however I would argue that perhaps Melbourne, Bulldogs, Geelong, North Melbourne, Hawthorn, St Kilda, Essendon and Collingwood would all have past players deserving of the award being being changed in their name.

Melbourne:
Keith William "Bluey" Truscott
44 games and 31 goals
Enlisted in the RAAF in WW2

Bulldogs:
Charlie Sutton (42-56)
173 games 65 goals playing
162 games as coach
1x B&F, 1 x club Leading Goal kicker, Bulldogs Premiership coach

Port Adelaide:
John Cahill (58-73)
264 games 286 goals
624 games coached (inc Coll 47, West Ade 69 and South Ade 20)
4 x Premiership player, 4 x B&F, 1 x club Leading Goal kicker, 10 x Port Premiership coach,

Geelong
Carji Greeves (23-33)
124 games 17 goals
2 x VFA premiership player, 1924 Brownlow medalist (first awarded)

Swans:
Bon Skilton (56-71)
237 Games 412 goals
3 x Brownlow, 9 x B&F, 3 x club Leading Goal kicker

North Melbourne
-Syd Barker (1907-27)
-68 games 25 goals. VFA/VFL (57 Essendon)
-61 games coaches (43 Essendon)
-4 x Nth premiership player, 2 x Essendon Premiership Coach

Hawthorn
-Peter Crimmins (66-75)
-176 games 231 goals
-1 x Premiership player
-Tragically passed away aged 28 with testicular cancer

St Kilda
-Trevor Barker (75-89)
-230 games 134 goals
-2 x B&F

Fremantle
-George Doig (33-45)
-202 games 1095 goals
-3 x premiership player, 6 x WA LG, 9 x club Leading Goal kicker

West Coast
-John Worsfold (86-98)
-233 games 41 goals
-387 games coach (281 WCE)
-1 x B&F, 2 x Premiership player, 1 x Premiership coach

Adelaide
-Malcolm Blight (68-82)
-330 games 786 goals
-364 games coach (74 with Ade)
-2 x VFL premiership player, Brownlow medalist, Coleman medalist, 4 x North Leading Goal kicker, Margery medal, Ken farmer medal, 2 x AFL premiership coach (Ade)

Carlton
-John Nicholls (57-74)
-328 Games, 307 Goals
-97 Games coach of Carlton
-3 X VFL Premiership player, 5 x B&F, 1 X Simpson Medal, Carlton's first 300 game player

Richmond
-Jack Dyer (31-49)
-311 Games, 443 Goals
-222 Games coach of Richmond
-2 X VFL Premiership Player, 5 X B&F, 2 x club Leading Goal kicker, 1X VFL Premiership Coach

Essendon
-Wally Crichton
-No games played
-Essendon committee member 1926-31, Vice President 32-40, President 41-59 and VFL Delegate 34-58

GWS
-Kevin Sheedy (67-79)
-251 Games, 91 Goals (Richmond)
-634 Games Coach (Essendon), 44 GWS Coach
-Inaugural GWS Coach, 3 x VFL Premiership Player, 1 X B&F, 4 X V/AFL Premiership Coach

Gold Coast
-Simply referred to as 'Club Champion Award'

Brisbane
-Merrett-Murray
-Merrett (78-96) / Murray (55-66)
-Merrett 313 Games, 433 Goals (149 Essendon, 164 Brisbane Bears)
-Murray 377 Games, 71 Goals (333 Fitzroy, 44 East Perth)
-Merrett awards - VFL Gardiner Medal, 2 x Essendon Premiership player, 3 x Brisbane Bears Leading Goal kicker
-Murray awards - 1 x Brownlow medalist, 9 X Fitzroy B&F, 2 X All Australian, East Perth B&F

Collingwood
-Copeland Trophy
-Named after Ern Copeland who was the club secretary in 1895, retiring in 1924.
Truscott ain’t getting renamed. Bluey was a two-time premiership player who was regarded as a star. His last game for Melbourne in 1942 saw them delay unfurling the premiership flag and handing him the captaincy.

During the war, because of both his football skill and pilot talent, he was one of the RAAF’s most famous pilots, and was the front of war bonds campaigns in England during the Battle of Britain. He was credited with 16 German victories and also credited with damaging a Kriegsmarine destroyer.

He received 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses and was mentioned in dispatches. He was killed in a training exercise in 1943.

That one is staying right where it is.
 
I like that the medals are named after old campaigners. It's nice to pretend sometimes that supporting a footy club means more than cheering on millionaires.
 

BF Tiger

Norm Smith Medallist
Jun 5, 2007
9,783
22,306
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AFL Club
Richmond
Geez.

Keith Truscott was a footballing and fighter pilot ace, killed while serving in WW2.

John Cahill is a SANFL footballing legend and important link between the AFL Power and SANFL Magpies. Coached the Magpies to 10 flags and represented SA 29 times.

Bob Skelton is Bob Skilton. One of 31 official Legends.

Others on your list have similar (or better) resumes.

It’s a hard no from me for most of your list.
 

GWT6

Club Legend
Jun 7, 2011
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Western Sydney
AFL Club
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This thread is a good example of stats not telling the story, especially when you are including local football matches for some and only top-level for others.

I like that Gold Coast have yet to name the B&F award, and the AFLW have not named their equivalent of the Brownlow and Norm Smith. It seems they are both waiting for someone to earn the honor, which can only come from history.

The Giants and their "Kevin Sheedy Medal" is one of the most cringeworthy things in football. Some AFL marketing working group came up with a terrible name for the club, a terrible song and prematurely named their B&F after someone who is not remembered for his association with the cub. They made a poor attempt to manufacture history and culture. A bit like the ridiculous Brett Kirk medal awarded for The Battle of the bridge.
 
Mar 20, 2002
24,079
24,761
Mosman Village
AFL Club
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Looking over the names of all the clubs B&F awards, it appears from the outside that some are named after players who in comparison to others, have received significantly fewer playing or coaching accolades over their careers for their respective clubs.

I mean no disrespect to these past players and they have obviously had huge impacts on their clubs and the development of the game in their own rights. However, is it time for a changing of the guard for some teams and who would you name it after for your club?

Changing the name would show greater recognition of clubs recent history rather than some going back to the 1920s/30s. As we can see below, some of the clubs have named their awards after player who I’m sure had a huge significance at their club, but may have since had others go well and truly past them in terms of influence and achievements.

I dont know the full stories behind a number of these players who have had the award named after them or the significane they played at their club, however I would argue that perhaps Melbourne, Bulldogs, Geelong, North Melbourne, Hawthorn, St Kilda, Essendon and Collingwood would all have past players deserving of the award being being changed in their name.

Melbourne:
Keith William "Bluey" Truscott
44 games and 31 goals
Enlisted in the RAAF in WW2

Bulldogs:
Charlie Sutton (42-56)
173 games 65 goals playing
162 games as coach
1x B&F, 1 x club Leading Goal kicker, Bulldogs Premiership coach

Port Adelaide:
John Cahill (58-73)
264 games 286 goals
624 games coached (inc Coll 47, West Ade 69 and South Ade 20)
4 x Premiership player, 4 x B&F, 1 x club Leading Goal kicker, 10 x Port Premiership coach,

Geelong
Carji Greeves (23-33)
124 games 17 goals
2 x VFA premiership player, 1924 Brownlow medalist (first awarded)

Swans:
Bon Skilton (56-71)
237 Games 412 goals
3 x Brownlow, 9 x B&F, 3 x club Leading Goal kicker

North Melbourne
-Syd Barker (1907-27)
-68 games 25 goals. VFA/VFL (57 Essendon)
-61 games coaches (43 Essendon)
-4 x Nth premiership player, 2 x Essendon Premiership Coach

Hawthorn
-Peter Crimmins (66-75)
-176 games 231 goals
-1 x Premiership player
-Tragically passed away aged 28 with testicular cancer

St Kilda
-Trevor Barker (75-89)
-230 games 134 goals
-2 x B&F

Fremantle
-George Doig (33-45)
-202 games 1095 goals
-3 x premiership player, 6 x WA LG, 9 x club Leading Goal kicker

West Coast
-John Worsfold (86-98)
-233 games 41 goals
-387 games coach (281 WCE)
-1 x B&F, 2 x Premiership player, 1 x Premiership coach

Adelaide
-Malcolm Blight (68-82)
-330 games 786 goals
-364 games coach (74 with Ade)
-2 x VFL premiership player, Brownlow medalist, Coleman medalist, 4 x North Leading Goal kicker, Margery medal, Ken farmer medal, 2 x AFL premiership coach (Ade)

Carlton
-John Nicholls (57-74)
-328 Games, 307 Goals
-97 Games coach of Carlton
-3 X VFL Premiership player, 5 x B&F, 1 X Simpson Medal, Carlton's first 300 game player

Richmond
-Jack Dyer (31-49)
-311 Games, 443 Goals
-222 Games coach of Richmond
-2 X VFL Premiership Player, 5 X B&F, 2 x club Leading Goal kicker, 1X VFL Premiership Coach

Essendon
-Wally Crichton
-No games played
-Essendon committee member 1926-31, Vice President 32-40, President 41-59 and VFL Delegate 34-58

GWS
-Kevin Sheedy (67-79)
-251 Games, 91 Goals (Richmond)
-634 Games Coach (Essendon), 44 GWS Coach
-Inaugural GWS Coach, 3 x VFL Premiership Player, 1 X B&F, 4 X V/AFL Premiership Coach

Gold Coast
-Simply referred to as 'Club Champion Award'

Brisbane
-Merrett-Murray
-Merrett (78-96) / Murray (55-66)
-Merrett 313 Games, 433 Goals (149 Essendon, 164 Brisbane Bears)
-Murray 377 Games, 71 Goals (333 Fitzroy, 44 East Perth)
-Merrett awards - VFL Gardiner Medal, 2 x Essendon Premiership player, 3 x Brisbane Bears Leading Goal kicker
-Murray awards - 1 x Brownlow medalist, 9 X Fitzroy B&F, 2 X All Australian, East Perth B&F

Collingwood
-Copeland Trophy
-Named after Ern Copeland who was the club secretary in 1895, retiring in 1924.

It's called "tradition" and clearly shows the club has a history.

Give yourself an uppercut !!
 
Feb 17, 2010
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It's called "tradition" and clearly shows the club has a history.

Give yourself an uppercut !!

There has been a number of clubs which have changed the name of their B&F over time.

Not taking anything away from their achievements, however in 50/75 years time when know one knows who these people are, is there a point they will change?

A number of them are from the old VFA days, should they be hold this honour forever over others who may have done a lot more for the club or game since?

Tradition changes as we see with different gurnseys, team songs, moved home grounds etc. Clubs change over time.
 
Feb 17, 2010
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12,458
adelaide
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Truscott ain’t getting renamed. Bluey was a two-time premiership player who was regarded as a star. His last game for Melbourne in 1942 saw them delay unfurling the premiership flag and handing him the captaincy.

During the war, because of both his football skill and pilot talent, he was one of the RAAF’s most famous pilots, and was the front of war bonds campaigns in England during the Battle of Britain. He was credited with 16 German victories and also credited with damaging a Kriegsmarine destroyer.

He received 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses and was mentioned in dispatches. He was killed in a training exercise in 1943.

That one is staying right where it is.

He certainly was a great man and did some incredible things outside of the game.

Certainly not over shadowing what he achieved for us all.
 
Sep 15, 2009
13,126
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Collingwood
There has been a number of clubs which have changed the name of their B&F over time.

Not taking anything away from their achievements, however in 50/75 years time when know one knows who these people are, is there a point they will change?

A number of them are from the old VFA days, should they be hold this honour forever over others who may have done a lot more for the club or game since?

Tradition changes as we see with different gurnseys, team songs, moved home grounds etc. Clubs change over time.
So it's only Vic clubs you are talking about then?
 
Feb 17, 2010
6,382
12,458
adelaide
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So it's only Vic clubs you are talking about then?

No this isn’t an us Vs them Vic thing again.

Its a fact that some clubs have named their B&F awards after players from the 1920s/VFA days who only played 100 odd games in a lower level league. In comparison to others that followed after them, should they continue to hold the honour of the B&F?
 
Sep 15, 2009
13,126
11,013
Gippsland
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No this isn’t an us Vs them Vic thing again.

Its a fact that some clubs have named their B&F awards after players from the 1920s/VFA days who only played 100 odd games in a lower level league. In comparison to others that followed after them, should they continue to hold the honour of the B&F?
And you're getting answers, ours is from a person who never played, but i wouldn't change it.
If you don't like tradition that's fine.

I bet you want to wear the stripes, why? Tradition?
 
By all that either saw him play, were coached by him, or simply knew him from being around the club up until the day he died in 2012, Charlie Sutton was the purest example of the closest thing you could get to typifying the "Bulldogs spirit". There is a 0% chance ours would be renamed.
Captain/coach of a premiership side. Inaugural legend in our hall of fame. Coach of our team of the century. Former club president. AFL hall of fame member. Ted Whitten is obviously the one most people think of when thinking of Bulldogs legends, but Charlie Sutton is right there with him.
 
Feb 4, 2008
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Truscott ain’t getting renamed. Bluey was a two-time premiership player who was regarded as a star. His last game for Melbourne in 1942 saw them delay unfurling the premiership flag and handing him the captaincy.

During the war, because of both his football skill and pilot talent, he was one of the RAAF’s most famous pilots, and was the front of war bonds campaigns in England during the Battle of Britain. He was credited with 16 German victories and also credited with damaging a Kriegsmarine destroyer.

He received 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses and was mentioned in dispatches. He was killed in a training exercise in 1943.

That one is staying right where it is.

And you left out the most important thing. My resident blue tongued lizard as shown in my profile pic is named Truscott after “Bluey” Truscott. He claims to come from an unbroken line of lizards that have occupied this land since the late triassic period. He is, tragically, a Melbourne supporter. I say tragically because he will be asleep while the Grand Final is played and he has been waiting all his life to see the Demons win a Premiership. I might record it for him. 😁

Truscott would rightly be very upset if the Bluey Truscott Medal was renamed.
 

NetworkNerd

Brownlow Medallist
Sep 6, 2011
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Some are definitely up for debate. Some are in the definitely wont change category

Essendon/Collingwood best and fairest arent even named after former players/coaches but instead important club administrators from the formative years.

You would think if GWS win 5 flags coached by former club great Lachie Whitfield or Stephen Coniglio the B&F would change to them.. just my 2c
 
Feb 17, 2010
6,382
12,458
adelaide
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And you're getting answers, ours is from a person who never played, but i wouldn't change it.
If you don't like tradition that's fine.

I bet you want to wear the stripes, why? Tradition?

Mate I’m not arguing that these clubs need to change their award, I’m asking the question if perhaps there is others who have played at these clubs since that have surpassed their predecessors and perhaps deserve the honour.

If your response is no because of tradition, no problem.
 
May 27, 2017
6,351
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It's called "tradition" and clearly shows the club has a history.

Give yourself an uppercut !!

Traditions change though. In another 50 years, it's surely feasible that some of the current players would be inducted into HoF, given legend status, or have medals renamed after them. Would any of them be changed today? Maybe not.
 
Sep 15, 2009
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Collingwood
Mate I’m not arguing that these clubs need to change their award, I’m asking the question if perhaps there is others who have played at these clubs since that have surpassed their predecessors and perhaps deserve the honour.

If your response is no because of tradition, no problem.
And there are many ways to honour champions of the future while keeping the tradition.

Just my opinion, but tradition like Copeland, is why Collingwood even exist, why would you even think of changing it.
 
Feb 17, 2010
6,382
12,458
adelaide
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Traditions change though. In another 50 years, it's surely feasible that some of the current players would be inducted into HoF, given legend status, or have medals renamed after them. Would any of them be changed today? Maybe not.

Perhaps not right now but For example, I’d say Boomer Harvey is more of a North icon than Syb Barker from an outsider view?

Given Barker played / coached more games under the Essendon brand.

If he’s the games record holder in 50 years, does he perhaps not deserve the honour?
 
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