THE 2026 John Nicholls Medal is upon us!
The Blues’ highest individual honour will be awarded this Sunday night, with Carlton Media to preview some of the team’s leading chances over the next few days - line by line.
The forwards' preview came on Wednesday - now, it’s time for the defenders. Read more below!
It's John Nicholls Medal week!
— Carlton FC (@CarltonFC) September 28, 2026
See which awards are up for grabs leading into this Sunday's night of nights: https://t.co/7EBPKbUZxg
Who could poll well?
Harry Dean
What a first year it was. How will the coaches grade Harry Dean’s debut season in the AFL? The first-year defender came into the year as a father-son recruit and ended it as not only a genuine fan favourite, but an emerging star in the Blues’ backline. Named the AFLPA Best First-Year Player and runner-up in the Telstra AFL Rising Star, Dean took some big scalps along the way in 2026 and that’s expected to be reflected in the John Nicholls Medal count, particular his performances against Mitch Georgiades, Nate Caddy and Aaron Cadman.
Ollie Florent
Throughout his time at Sydney, Ollie Florent’s consistency was reflected in five consecutive top-10 finishes in the Bob Skilton Medal from 2020-2024. How high Florent finishes in his first John Nicholls Medal count remains to be seen, but his consistency was once again his trademark in his maiden season in Navy Blue. With 18 games of 20 disposals or more, Florent’s reliability was first rate, and his form in the final rounds of the home-and-away season was particularly strong.
Nick Haynes
Nick Haynes achieved a top-five finish in his first John Nicholls Medal, and despite missing games at the start and end of the season, the form of the veteran held up over the course of the season. Playing 19 games and achieving 250 AFL games in Round 21, Haynes was his typical courageous self in 2026, helping lead the backline in the absence of Jacob Weitering due to injury. His performance in Round 23 against the Western Bulldogs was among his best, as he earned another one-year contract to remain at IKON Park.
The smokey
Lachie Cowan
The emerging defender played a career-high amount of games in 2026, missing only Opening Round through injury before playing 24 straight games. Cowan often drew the acclaim of AFL Senior Coach Josh Fraser in his press conferences throughout the season, taking on some key defensive roles and performing them with aplomb. Expect him to poll well on John Nicholls Medal night, particularly after the bye.
