Norm Smith Medal
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The Norm Smith Medal is the award given in AFL grand final to the player adjudged by an independent panel of experts to have been the best player in the match.
History
The Norm Smith Medal is named after former Melbourne player and coach, Norm Smith. It was named in his honour mostly due to his coaching feats in grand finals: he coached six Melbourne premiership sides.
As with most individual awards in team sports, the Norm Smith Medal is usually awarded to a player on the winning side. Only three players have won the award in losing sides: Maurice Rioli in 1982, Gary Ablett in 1989 and Nathan Buckley in 2002.
List of winners
- 1979: Wayne Harmes (Carlton)
- 1980: Kevin Bartlett (Richmond)
- 1981: Bruce Doull (Carlton)
- 1982: Maurice Rioli (Richmond)
- 1983: Colin Robertson (Hawthorn)
- 1984: Billy Duckworth (Essendon)
- 1985: Simon Madden (Essendon)
- 1986: Gary Ayres (Hawthorn)
- 1987: David Rhys-Jones (Carlton)
- 1988: Gary Ayres (Hawthorn)
- 1989: Gary Ablett (Geelong)
- 1990: Tony Shaw (Collingwood)
- 1991: Paul Dear (Hawthorn)
- 1992: Peter Matera (West Coast Eagles)
- 1993: Michael Long (Essendon)
- 1994: Dean Kemp (West Coast Eagles)
- 1995: Greg Williams (Carlton)
- 1996: Glenn Archer (North Melbourne)
- 1997: Andrew McLeod (Adelaide)
- 1998: Andrew McLeod (Adelaide)
- 1999: Shannon Grant (Kangaroos)
- 2000: James Hird (Essendon)
- 2001: Shaun Hart (Brisbane)
- 2002: Nathan Buckley (Collingwood)
- 2003: Simon Black (Brisbane)
- 2004: Byron Pickett (Port Adelaide)