- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
During his morning program on SEN, a talkback caller asked Kevin Bartlett what he thought about players from an AFL premiership winning team receiving a medallion even if they didn’t play on the day.
The caller made a somewhat valid point. Throughout a season there is usually half a dozen or so players keep the team winning while key players may be missing through injury or suspension. These players have contributed to the team success and should be rewarded.
There are other sports that reward the entire team, not just those who partake in the finals.
I remember watching the Perth Wildcats win their last NBL championship and Paul Rogers collecting a championship ring even though he missed the majority of the season through injury and didn’t play at all during the finals. Development players who were on the Wildcats bench – dressed to play – didn’t receive a ring.
While on basketball, the NBA recognise every player who was a member of a title winning squad as an NBA champion regardless of how many minutes they played (or didn’t) throughout the season, playoffs and finals.
Australia’s own Andrew Gaze is considered an NBA champion with the 1998-99 San Antonio Spurs. Gaze wasn’t on the playoff roster due to injury, but still has a ring and is recognised as a champion. This isn’t a knock on Gaze – to make it to the NBA is an achievement in itself and no one can deny what Gaze has done throughout his entire career.
Should it be the same with AFL? What about injured players who miss out on a premiership team but have been strong contributors throughout the season, like Tony Modra with Adelaide in 1997?
Then there are players who play the majority of the season and finals but don’t make the final 22 of the decider – think Derek Kickett at Essendon in 1993.
In his response, Bartlett said he didn’t know how much value a player would put on a medallion if he wasn’t playing on the day and used former Magpie Leon Davis as an example.
Davis received a 2010 premiership medal for Collingwood after playing in the drawn Grand Final but missed out on the replay a week later due to form. For the history books he is considered a premiership player even though he didn’t play on the day the Magpies won the flag.
Personally, I think the AFL has it right. Only the 22 players who take part on the day should be considered premiership players.
Again, like basketball, the AFL should look at awarding the immediate assistant coaches a premiership medallion. Their contribution on Grand Final day is significant enough to warrant such recognition.
Fierce competition for spots, injuries and form are all factors of sport and as for players, only those who make up the best 22 on the day should be rewarded.
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.