Opinion Should players who miss out on a flag deserve a premiership medal?

[MC Extra Dollop]

The guernsey a player wore during the game and the team photo on the ground after the final siren are surely the more treasured mementos for a player in a winning grand final side anyway?

I say it every year and I'm sure I'll be doing it again in 12 months, if a club wants to recognise the hard luck stories like Adams and McStay this year, or Holmes last year, there's nothing to stop them doing it at their club presentation.

I don't really think it'd do anything to make the player feel better personally. Would everything have been hunky dorey with Kickett and Sheedy 30 years ago if Kickett had been presented with a medal? Somehow I doubt it.

 

[RAPPA]

Where do you draw the line? Do you reward only the player that was injured and who otherwise would’ve, but for the injury, been named to play? What about the player who played the majority of the year but fell out of favour at the tail end?

There’s no harm in keeping this part of the game unchanged.

 

[longsuffreosupp]

I think players who have played in a finals game should get a medal, and maybe a consideration for the 3 emergencies on the day too, as they are part of the team..

 

[Thesecurityman2468]

Lol no, they aren't 12, missed out? Too bad, no medal, how it's always been and should be.

Your a flog

 

[Engimal v3]

Your a flog

Rocky debut

 

[Frederico_WA]

Rocky debut

Also *you're

 

[emuboy]

While I do feel sorry for players who miss out on a premiership medal, there is a wide range of reasons for players missing a Grand Final and setting the criteria for those who miss out playing in the flag team getting a medal is way too difficult to make it a reality.

Obviously, players who played every game in the season but were injured in the PF or became ill in the week in the lead up to the GF would be strong contenders to receive a premiership medallion, while a rookie who played 1 unimpressive game in early April would not.

However, it's not always so clear cut. Say a star player is outstanding for his club throughout March, April, May and June, helping set up the team for a great season, but is then injured in early July and misses the rest of the season. His good early form helped set up the team for the rest of the season, should he receive a medal? What about a player who is injured in the last round after playing every game for the season and misses the whole finals series?

What about a player who only comes into the team late in the season, plays in the first three finals but gets the flu in time for the GF and misses out? Then there's players who miss Grand Finals after getting suspended, should they be awarded premiership medals? Some players are downright unlucky to be dropped by their clubs for Grand Finals, but what of players who are badly out of form and don't improve despite being given several chances?

And what about players dropped for lack of discipline on the field or off it? If a player was taken off the ground for giving away a 150-meter penalty in the PF, spits the dummy and is then punished by being dropped for the GF next week, it is hard to argue that he deserves a premiership medallion if his team wins the next week, even if he has played most of the season. Or a player who celebrates the PF by breaking team curfew and alcohol rules and getting into a drunken brawl in a Melbourne nightclub?

I just can't see it happening. In any case, a player awarded a premiership medallion when he didn't play on GF Day will still know he wasn't part of the winning team.

 

[Foxx]

No. The premiership cup is for those players who were a part of season games. Put the entire squads names on the Cup.

Leave the medals for those who win the GF.

 

[powerrrrrrrrrrrr]

Still no

 

[Freomaniac]

I will say this.... Imagine if you played at least 20 games or even every game into the season leading up to a preliminary final?

Imagine being one of the better players on the ground in the preliminary final win and miss out because you get a concussion?

Some players have won medals carrying an injury or 2.

But that my 2 cents on this view

 

[The Quite Man]

Maybe they could have gold plated medals for player that played on the day & silver plated for the other player on the list.

 

[eth-dog]

Still yes

 

[ItsAllAboutMe]

If I am Oscar the medal would mean SFA knowing I was not on the field on the day that counted… in saying that absolutely their should be some recognition tithe entire squad of the achievement, a ring/watch would seem appropriate..

 

[Dan]

Any player that plays at least 2 games in a finals series and their team wins the Grand Final should be eligible for a premiership medal.

 

[RU_]

If you play 80% of the season and the team wins a flag, you deserve a medal.

This year would have been 21/26 games.

 

[And_ROOS]

I think all players who played at least 80% of the season and at least 1 final should be invited up and get a Premiership medal because that is a significant contribution to the teams success.

But other than that, I don't think it should go to anyone who played less.

 

[Toump Ass]

Makes it a bit less special if non-participants get the medal doesn't it.

 

[Snarls Barkley]

I don’t really care either way.

I’ve got two Premiership medals from cricket. One I played, one I didn’t. I do not treasure the one I didn’t play in the final

 

[Kangapirate]

Makes it a bit less special if non-participants get the medal doesn't it.

Would anyone care either way? Its hardly scandalous. Its a team sport at the end of the day.

 

[Foxx]

If I am Oscar the medal would mean SFA knowing I was not on the field on the day that counted… in saying that absolutely their should be some recognition tithe entire squad of the achievement, a ring/watch would seem appropriate..

There is - The premiership cup.

 

[Toump Ass]

Would anyone care either way?

I reckon a few would- been a couple of players who have said that everyone in the squad should get a medal.

But, they don't, hence we are having this conversation.

 

[TheGhostOfJohnBelushi]

If you play 80% of the season and the team wins a flag, you deserve a medal.

This year would have been 21/26 games.

So if you play 20 games, stiff shit?

If you play 21 games, belt someone and get suspended for the rest of the year, player comes in and replaces you and has a big month then gets injured in the prelim... you get a medal and they don't?

How arbitrary.

Either give it to the entire squad or give it to those who played on the day. In reality, it's a memento for those who played on the day. Those who didn't are there to be part of the festivities.

 

[TheGhostOfJohnBelushi]

Also, I found it weird with the Ron Barassi medal that the captains got a regular medal and that one, so they have two. And yet Chris Fagan only got the Jock McHale Medal. Why wouldn't they just make the Barassi medal the standard medal that the captain gets and that's it?

Conspiracy theory - AFL did it so the captains can give those regular medals to the hard luck stories.

 

[eth-dog]

I was the team manager of my footy club's last flag. I'd retired the year before and I was dead keen on getting the medal. One of the players broke their hand in the first final and had to miss, he got a medal. I can tell you that he and I were both stoked to get a medal.

I still have my medal and treasure it.

 

[RU_]

So if you play 20 games, stiff shit?

If you play 21 games, belt someone and get suspended for the rest of the year, player comes in and replaces you and has a big month then gets injured in the prelim... you get a medal and they don't?

How arbitrary.

Either give it to the entire squad or give it to those who played on the day. In reality, it's a memento for those who played on the day. Those who didn't are there to be part of the festivities.

Pick a percentage that can be agreed upon by the AFL as having ‘significantly contributed’ to the flag. Make it 10 games minimum for all I care. Everyone that heavily contributed deserves one.