Who wins Carlton’s coveted John Nicholls Medal for 2025?
It’s a question that will be answered at Crown Palladium late on Sunday evening, when the counting of votes for the Club’s Best & Fairest player concludes.
George Hewett is considered by many to be most likely to earn his first JNM, having fared consistently as a hard-nosed midfielder throughout the 2025 home and away campaign.
Jacob Weitering and Harry McKay, who again topped and tailed the Carlton spine – are also likely to feature prominently in the count – or will the resident Captain Patrick Cripps create Carlton history and surpass John Nicholls’ five Club Best and Fairest victories in the award now bearing ‘Big Nick’s’ name?
Cripps, Carlton’s only two-time Brownlow Medallist and a five-time Carlton B&F with Nicholls, enters the count having recently polled most club votes (19) from George Hewett and Harry McKay (10) on Brownlow Medal night.
A sixth John Nicholls Medal to Cripps would end Nicholls’ 57-year record as an unprecedented five-time winner – a record equalled, but not bettered by Cripps with his fifth John Nicholls Medal victory last year.
Nicholls, at 20 Carlton’s youngest Club Best & Fairest winner in 1959, and now at 86 its oldest living recipient, will be in the house on Sunday night for the count.
His name has been associated with the medal since 2004 when David Teague was adjudged winner; the medal having previously been known as the Robert Reynolds Trophy for the 70 years previous.
The 2025 John Nicholls Medal will be live streamed at carltonfc.com.au.
Multiple winners, Carlton B&F (later Robert Reynolds Trophy and John Nicholls Medal) since 1929
5 - John Nicholls (1959, ’63, ’65, ’66 & ’67), Patrick Cripps (2015, ’18, ’19, ’22 & ’24)
4 - Bruce Doull (1974, ’77, ’80 & ’84)
3 - John James (1955, ’60 & ’61), Craig Bradley (1986 (tied), ’88 & ’93), Stephen Kernahan (1987, ’89 & ’92), Brett Ratten (1995, ’97 & 2000 (tied)), Chris Judd (2008, ’09 & 10)
2 - Creswell Crisp (1934 & ’38), Jim Francis (1935 & ’40), Bob Chitty (1941 & ’44), Jack Howell (1946 & ’48), Ern Henfry (1947 & ’49 (tied)), Bruce Comben (1957 & ’58), Sergio Silvagni (1962 & ’68), Geoff Southby (1971 & ’72), Trevor Keogh (1976 & ’78) Wayne Johnston (1983 & ’86 (tied)), Justin Madden (1985 & ’91), Stephen Silvagni (1990 & ’96), Anthony Koutoufides (2001 & ’05), Marc Murphy (2011 & ’17), Jacob Weitering (2020 & ’23)
