- Apr 30, 2015
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Prior to 1979, my understanding is that someone was named Best On Ground in VFL Grand Finals, but received no formal award. Robert Dipierdomenico was the last player named BOG prior to the striking of the Norm Smith Medal in 1979.
My question is, should the AFL go back through the record books and retrospectively award Smith Medals to the players named BOG in every GF where someone was named as such?
Arguments for:
- It's only fair that these players receive due recognition as recipients of one of the game's highest (if not THE highest) individual honours.
- There are two precedents - Brownlows were awarded retrospectively when the countback system was abandoned if there was a tie; and also in 2001 when the Jock McHale Medal came in, it was retrospectively awarded to premiership coaches going back to 1950.
Arguments against:
- The system for awarding BOG back in the day may not have been as rigorous as now (any footy historians help with this one?)
- What difference does it make, BOG in a pre-79 GF is just as good as a Smith Medal.
Personally, I think it would be a nice touch to do it. Thoughts?
Off topic, but when googling, I came across the fact that Chapman and Gram actually tied for the Smith Medal in 2009. I did not know that -
There is no chance of a tie for the medal; if two players are tied for votes, the following countbacks will apply in order:
My question is, should the AFL go back through the record books and retrospectively award Smith Medals to the players named BOG in every GF where someone was named as such?
Arguments for:
- It's only fair that these players receive due recognition as recipients of one of the game's highest (if not THE highest) individual honours.
- There are two precedents - Brownlows were awarded retrospectively when the countback system was abandoned if there was a tie; and also in 2001 when the Jock McHale Medal came in, it was retrospectively awarded to premiership coaches going back to 1950.
Arguments against:
- The system for awarding BOG back in the day may not have been as rigorous as now (any footy historians help with this one?)
- What difference does it make, BOG in a pre-79 GF is just as good as a Smith Medal.
Personally, I think it would be a nice touch to do it. Thoughts?
Off topic, but when googling, I came across the fact that Chapman and Gram actually tied for the Smith Medal in 2009. I did not know that -
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 three-votes;
- the player with the higher number of two-votes;
- the player deemed best by the panel chair.