Norm Smith Medal: How voting works for AFL Grand Final medal and can there be two winners?

What is the Norm Smith Medal?

The Norm Smith Medal is an award given to the player who is judged to be best on ground during an AFL Grand Final.

Voted by an independent panel of football experts, the Medal was introduced in 1979 to honour former Melbourne icon Norm Smith.

Smith played 227 games (210 – Melbourne, 17 – Fitzroy) Melbourne and coached a total of 452 matches (310 – Melbourne, 87 – South Melbourne, 55 – Fitzroy).

During his time at the Demons, Smith took the club to six premierships as coach between 1955-1964.

Smith was named coach of the AFL Team of the Century and was elevated to Legend Status in 2007, writes AFL.com.au.

Norm Smith Medal Voting

The voting for this prestigious award usually comprises of five football experts (past players, media personalities, journalists) who gives a 3-2-1 as they regard who is best afield.

Of those five, one is regarded as the designated panel chair, who will decide the winner if there’s a tie after two rounds of countbacks.

Andrew McLeod (chairperson) leads a panel of five voters, including recently retired Fremantle player David Mundy, Jonathon Brown, Abbey Holmes and Michael Gleeson.

What happens if there’s a tie?

If two players are tied for votes, a countback will occur.

The player with the higher number of three-votes will win. If that’s also tied then:

The player with the higher number of two-votes will win. If that’s tied then:

The winner will be decided by the member on the panel chair.

Has there been a tie before?

In the 2009 grand final, Geelong were victorious over St Kilda by 12 points in a famous game.

Paul Chapman (Geelong) and Jason Gram (St Kilda) were tied with nine votes apiece, but the Norm Smith was awarded to Chapman on a countback.

Who is presenting the Norm Smith Medal?

Former Collingwood player and coach Nathan Buckley has been given the honours to present the Norm Smith for this year’s AFL Grand Final.

Buckley famously won the Medal in a losing side, when the Pies lost to Brisbane in the decider in 2002.

Past winners Year Club Player 2021 Melbourne Christian Petracca 2020 Richmond Dustin Martin 2019 Richmond Dustin Martin 2018 West Coast Luke Shuey 2017 Richmond Dustin Martin 2016 Western Bulldogs Jason Johannisen 2015 Hawthorn Cyril Rioli 2014 Hawthorn Luke Hodge 2013 Hawthorn Brian Lakw 2012 Sydney Ryan O’Keefe 2011 Geelong Jimmy Bartel 2010 (replay) Collingwood Scott Pendlebury 2010 St Kilda Lenny Hayes 2009 Geelong Paul Chapman 2008 Hawthorn Luke Hodge 2007 Geelong Steven Johnson 2006 West Coast Andrew Embley 2005 West Coast Chris Judd 2004 Port Adelaide Byron Pickett 2003 Brisbane Simon Black 2002 Collingwood Nathan Buckley 2001 Brisbane Shaun Hart 2000 Essendon James Hird