Why the John Nicholls Medal?

Former Carlton player and coach John Nicholls played 328 games in the navy blue jumper from 1957-1974. Over the journey, the keeper of the No.2 guernsey played in three premierships in 1968, ’70, and ’72, he was twice named in the All-Australian team, and would later be named as the ruckman in Carlton’s Team of the Century.

But it’s Nicholls’ achievement of five Best and Fairest Awards that saw the medal renamed in his honour in 2004. Nicholls took out Carlton’s B & F in 1959, ’63, ’65, ’66, and ’67. At Carlton’s 150th function this year he was named Carlton’s greatest player of all time.

Prior to 2004, Carlton’s B & F was known as the Robert Reynolds Trophy, in honour of former the Carlton vice-president who passed away in September 1934.

The medal:

The medal itself bears the image of John Nicholls. It has been produced by Cash’s Awards and Promotional Solutions since its inception in 2004. The medallion is a 3D design made from a pewter base with antique gold plating.

How the voting works:

Five members of Carlton’s match committee independently submit their votes after each round. 

Each member of the match committee may award a maximum of 20 votes per game. The votes are shared among the players of their choice, up to a maximum of eight players. The committee members are not compelled to award all or any of their votes. 

The maximum votes a player may receive is 10 from each committee member per game.

Past winners:

John Nicholls Medal

2013 Kade Simpson

2012 Heath Scotland

2011 Marc Murphy

2010 Chris Judd (Brownlow Medal winner)

2009 Chris Judd

2008 Chris Judd

2007 Andrew Carrazzo

2006 Lance Whitnall

2005 Anthony Koutoufides

2004 David Teague

Robert Reynolds Trophy

2003 Andrew McKay

2002 Corey McKernan

2001 Anthony Koutoufides

2000 Brett Ratten & Scott Camporeale (tied)

1999 Matthew Allan

1998 Fraser Brown

1997 Brett Ratten

1996 Stephen Silvagni

1995 Brett Ratten

1994 Greg Williams (Brownlow Medal winner)

1993 Craig Bradley

1992 Stephen Kernahan

1991 Justin Madden

1990 Stephen Silvagni

1989 Stephen Kernahan

1988 Craig Bradley

1987 Stephen Kernahan

1986 Wayne Johnston & Craig Bradley (tied)

1985 Justin Madden

1984 Bruce Doull

1983 Wayne Johnston

1982 James Buckley

1981 Ken Hunter

1980 Bruce Doull

1979 Mike Fitzpatrick

1978 Trevor Keogh

1977 Bruce Doull

1976 Trevor Keogh

1975 Alex Jesaulenko

1974 Bruce Doull

1973 Peter Jones

1972 Geoff Southby

1971 Geoff Southby

1970 Adrian Gallagher

1969 Garry Crane1968 Sergio Silvagni

1967 John Nicholls

1966 John Nicholls

1965 John Nicholls

1964 Gordon Collis (Brownlow Medal winner)

1963 John Nicholls

1962 Sergio Silvagni

1961 John James (Brownlow Medal winner)

1960 John James

1959 John Nicholls

1958 Bruce Comben

1957 Bruce Comben

1956 Doug Beasy

1955 John James

1954 Bill Milroy

1953 Ken Hands

1952 Ollie Grieve

1951 Jim Clark

1950 Arthur Hodgson

1949 Ern Henfry

1948 Jack Howell

1947 Bert Deacon (Brownlow Medal winner) & Ern Henfry (tied)

1946 Jack Howell

1945 Ron Savage

1944 Bob Chitty

1943 George Gniel

1942 Jim Mooring

1941 Bob Chitty

1940 Jim Francis

1939 Frank Gill

1938 Mickey Crisp

1937 Don McIntyre

1936 Ansell Clarke

1935 Jim Francis

1934 Mickey Crisp

Best and Fairest

1929 Horrie Clover

Most wins:

·      John Nicholls: 5 [1959, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1967]

·      Bruce Doull: 4 [1974, 1977, 1980, 1984]

·      Stephen Kernahan: 3 [1987, 1989, 1992]

·      Craig Bradley: 3 [1986, 1988, 1993]

·      Brett Ratten: 3 [1995, 1997, 2000]

·      John James: 3 [1955, 1960, 1961]

·      Chris Judd: 3 [2008, 2009, 2010]