Crichton Medal

Crichton Medal
Awarded forThe best and fairest player of the Essendon Football Club
LocationCrown Palladium Ballroom
CountryAustralia
Presented byEssendon Football Club
First awarded1897
Last awarded2024
Currently held byZach Merrett
WebsiteEssendon Football Club Honours

The Crichton Medal is the name given to the best and fairest award for the Australian rules football team the Essendon Football Club. Since 1959 or 1960, it has been known officially as the W. S. Crichton Medal.[citation needed] The naming of the award is in honour of Wally Crichton, a former administrator for Essendon (who was a committeeman from 1926 to 1931, vice-president from 1932 to 1940, and president from 1941 to 1959).[1] The voting system as of the 2017 AFL season consists of five coaches, giving each player a ranking from zero to five after each match. Players can receive a maximum of 25 votes for a game.[2]

Essendon's best-and-fairest award has been awarded since 1897, although records of winners between 1897 and 1921 are incomplete. The award was suspended during World War I.

Recipients

[edit]
^ Denotes current player
+ Player won Brownlow Medal in same season
Season Recipient(s) Ref.
1897 — [a]
1898 — [a]
1899 — [a]
1900 — [a]
1901 Albert Thurgood
1902 Hugh Gavin
1903 — [a]
1904 — [a]
1905 — [a]
1906 Jack McKenzie
1907 — [a]
1908 Bill Busbridge
1909 Bill Busbridge (2)
1910 — [a]
1911 Ernie Cameron
1912 Ernie Cameron (2)
1913 Fred Baring
1914 — [a]
1915 — [a]
1916 — [b]
1917 — [b]
1918 — [a]
1919 — [a]
1920 Jack Garden
1921 — [a]
1922 Tom Fitzmaurice
1923 Tom Fitzmaurice (2)
1924 Tom Fitzmaurice (3)
1925 Greg Stockdale
1926 Joe Harrison
1927 Frank Maher
1928 Norm Beckton
1929 Howard Okey
1930 Keith Forbes
1931 Tom Clarke
1932 Syd Carman
1933 Paddy Walsh
1934 Dick Reynolds+
1935 Keith Forbes (2)
1936 Dick Reynolds (2)
1937 Dick Reynolds+ (3)
1938 Dick Reynolds+ (4)
1939 Dick Reynolds (5)
1940 Hugh Torney
1941 Wally Buttsworth
1942 Dick Reynolds (6)
1943 Dick Reynolds (7)
1944 Perc Bushby
1945 Wally Buttsworth (2)
1946 Wally Buttsworth (3)
1947 Bill Hutchison
1948 Bill Hutchison (2)
1949 John Coleman
1950 Bill Hutchison (3)
1951 Norm McDonald
1952 Bill Hutchison+ (4)
1953 Bill Hutchison+ (5)
1954 John Gill
1955 Bill Hutchison (6)
1956 Bill Hutchison (7)
1957 Reg Burgess
1958 Jack Clarke
1959 Hugh Mitchell
1960 Reg Burgess (2)
1961 John Birt
1962 Jack Clarke (2)
1963 Ken Fraser
1964 Ken Fraser (2)
1965 John Birt (2)
1966 Don McKenzie
1967 John Birt (3)
1968 Barry Davis
1969 Barry Davis (2)
1970 Darryl Gerlach
1971 Barry Davis (3)
1972 Neville Fields
1973 Andy Wilson
1974 Graham Moss
1975 Graham Moss (2)
1976 Graham Moss+ (3)
1977 Simon Madden
1978 Ken Fletcher
1979 Simon Madden (2)
1980 Tim Watson
1981 Neale Daniher
1982 Terry Daniher
1983 Simon Madden (3)
1984 Simon Madden (4)
1985 Tim Watson (2)
1986 Glenn Hawker
1987 Mark Thompson
1988 Tim Watson (3)
1989 Tim Watson (4)
1990 Mark Thompson (2)
1991 Alan Ezard
1992 Mark Harvey
1993 Gary O'Donnell
1994 James Hird
1995 James Hird (2)
1996 James Hird+ (3)
1997 Sean Denham
1998 Damien Hardwick
1999 Mark Mercuri
2000 Dustin Fletcher [3]
2001 Jason Johnson [4]
2002 Mark Johnson [5]
2003 James Hird (4) [6]
Scott Lucas
2004 Adam McPhee [7]
2005 Jason Johnson (2) [8]
2006 Scott Lucas (2) [9]
2007 James Hird (5) [10]
2008 David Hille [11]
2009 Jobe Watson [12]
2010 Jobe Watson (2) [13]
2011 David Zaharakis [14]
2012 Jobe Watson (3) [15]
2013 Brendon Goddard [16]
2014 Dyson Heppell [17]
2015 Cale Hooker [18]
2016 Zach Merrett^ [19]
2017 Joe Daniher [20]
2018 Devon Smith [21]
2019 Zach Merrett^ (2) [22]
2020 Jordan Ridley^ [23]
2021 Zach Merrett^ (3) [24]
2022 Peter Wright^
2023 Zach Merrett^ (4) [25]
2024 Zach Merrett^ (5) [26]

Multiple winners

[edit]
^ Denotes current player
Player Medals Seasons
Bill Hutchison 7 1947, 1948, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956
Dick Reynolds 7 1934, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1942, 1943
Zach Merrett^ 5 2016, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024
James Hird 5 1994, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2007
Simon Madden 4 1977, 1979, 1983, 1984
Tim Watson 4 1980, 1985, 1988, 1989
John Birt 3 1961, 1965, 1967
Wally Buttsworth 3 1941, 1945, 1946
Barry Davis 3 1968, 1969, 1971
Tom Fitzmaurice 3 1922, 1923, 1924
Graham Moss 3 1974, 1975, 1976
Jobe Watson 3 2009, 2010, 2012
Reg Burgess 2 1957, 1960
Bill Busbridge 2 1908, 1909
Ernie Cameron 2 1911, 1912
Jack Clarke 2 1958, 1962
Keith Forbes 2 1930, 1935
Ken Fraser 2 1963, 1964
Jason Johnson 2 2001, 2005
Scott Lucas 2 2003, 2006
Mark Thompson 2 1987, 1990

Notes

[edit]
  • a The best-and-fairest was first awarded in 1897; however, records from 1897 to 1921 are incomplete.
  • b The Essendon Football Club did not participate in the 1916 and 1917 VFL seasons due to World War I.

References

[edit]
General
  • "The Crichton Medal – year by year". EssendonFC.com.au. Bigpond. 9 September 2015. Archived from the original on 28 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
Specific
  1. ^ "Crichton Medal Honour Roll". 23 September 2017.
  2. ^ "AFL Best and Fairest winners 2017: Who won your team's club champion award?". Fox Sports Australia. News Corp Australia. 3 September 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  3. ^ Chreny, Daniel (11 October 2014). "Essendon's Dustin Fletcher decides to play on in 2015". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  4. ^ "Jason Johnson Claims W.S.Crichton Medal". EssendonFC.com.au. Bigpond. 3 October 2001. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  5. ^ Connolly, Rohan (3 October 2002). "Essendon's other Johnson takes honours". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  6. ^ Johnson, Len (2 October 2003). "Hird and Lucas share medal". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  7. ^ "Magnificent McPhee". EssendonFC.com.au. Bigpond. 29 September 2005. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  8. ^ "ohnson among Essendon elite". EssendonFC.com.au. Bigpond. 29 September 2005. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  9. ^ "Lucas wins second Crichton Medal". ABC Online. Australian Associated Press. 14 September 2006. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  10. ^ Australian Associated Press (3 October 2007). "Retired Essendon star James Hird wins fifth fairest-and-best". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 11 August 2016.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ Robinson, Mark (2 October 2008). "David Hille wins Crichton Medal as Essendon's best player". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  12. ^ Williams, Rebecca (1 October 2009). "Jobe Watson wins 2009 Essendon best-and-fairest award". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  13. ^ Australian Associated Press (1 October 2010). "Essendon captain Jobe Watson wins Crichton medal as best and fairest". Fox Sports (Australia). News Corp Australia. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  14. ^ Pierik, Jon (8 October 2011). "Zaharakis wins medal". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  15. ^ Matthews, Bruce (4 October 2012). "Essendon captain Jobe Watson caps his season off by capturing his third Bombers best and fairest". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  16. ^ Sewell, Eliza (2 October 2013). "Essendon utility Brendon Goddard snares best-and-fairest, then talks premierships". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  17. ^ Phelan, Jennifer (1 October 2014). "Heppell's rise continues with dominant Essendon best and fairest victory". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  18. ^ Baker, Grant (16 September 2015). "Cale Hooker awarded first Crichton Medal as Essendon's best and fairest". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  19. ^ Twomey, Callum (31 August 2016). "Young gun Don a runaway winner at Crichton Medal". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  20. ^ Walsh, Conor (5 October 2017). "Don's dynasty: Leaping Bomber wins first Crichton". afl.com.au. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  21. ^ Twomey, Callum (4 October 2018). "Dons' instant hit wins first Crichton Medal". afl.com.au. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  22. ^ Walsh, Conor (1 October 2017). "Merrett wins second Crichton Medal". essendonfc.com.au. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  23. ^ "Ridley wins 2020 Crichton Medal". essendonfc.com.au. 20 September 2020. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  24. ^ "Merrett joins three-time club". essendonfc.com.au. 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  25. ^ "Merrett wins fourth Crichton Medal". 5 October 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  26. ^ "High-five: Merrett joins club greats after claiming fifth Crichton Medal". 3 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
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