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

[Shane Sheridan]

No.
Clubs can do rings for entire squad

 

[TheGhostOfJohnBelushi]

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.

I guess the point it, whatever criteria you set is arbitrary. The current criteria is playing in the grand final.

You'll find a lot of players heavily contribute through efforts other than being named to play a game, so no other criteria other than making it for playing in the grand final or including the entire squad makes any sense.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

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.

The way they AFL do it is absolutely laughable.

As if Darcy Fort should be recognised with a medal and Oscar McInerney shouldn’t be.

Connor McKenna? He had a jog around when the game was beyond finished.

Some numpty made a stupid decision decades ago (genuinely, I bet it was to save money before the game had any) and now nuffies think it’s “correct” and “tradition”.

 

[StackedHunch]

I think yesterday settled the question once and for all. If a club can give two Ron Barassi medals to their Mickey Mouse co-captain team, squad players for the year deserve premiership medals.

 

[im_a_lazy_sod]

Absolutely they do. It’s a team effort to get there. Grand finals aren’t played in a vacuum.

Minimum games played determines eligibility for anyone who doesn’t play on the day.

 

[Redline]

Keep it to the 23 that play on the day.

Absolutely its a full squad effort but the squad and support staff can all be recognised in other ways.

I doubt anyone who got a medal for.playing half a dozen games is going to have it hanging up on the wall.

Also I don't think the Barassi Medal adds anything.

 

[Cool Kangas]

- you play a certain number of games in the season you get a medal. You have made a contribution. End of conversation.

 

[TigerTime88]

For any player who played finals.

 

[Whiskers]

The way they AFL do it is absolutely laughable.

As if Darcy Fort should be recognised with a medal and Oscar McInerney shouldn’t be.

Connor McKenna? He had a jog around when the game was beyond finished.

Some numpty made a stupid decision decades ago (genuinely, I bet it was to save money before the game had any) and now nuffies think it’s “correct” and “tradition”.

These are the points which now make me believe they should hand out medals to anyone who played a game during the year. Or for the whole squad, doesn’t matter.
It’s up to each individual as to how you value them.
Just do it AFL.

 

[Bucking Beads]

There should be a medal or ring for all the players in the squad. Then a different medal for this who were on the field.

 

[Toump Ass]

 

[10571z]

Every player who plays in the finals maybe?

 

[speedpeck23]

Keep it to the 23 that play on the day.

Absolutely its a full squad effort but the squad and support staff can all be recognised in other ways.

I doubt anyone who got a medal for.playing half a dozen games is going to have it hanging up on the wall.

Also I don't think the Barassi Medal adds anything.

Totally disagree. The team wins the Grand Final on the day. The Club wins the Premiership for the year. Any player who has played for the club that season should be given a medal. It doesn't make up for not playing on Grand Final day . The players who play in the Grand Final get their medal presented in front of the crowd and the added bonus of being part of the team that took the field that day.

 

[threesixpio]

Oh for god’s sake

No. They didn’t play

 

[threesixpio]

There should be a medal or ring for all the players in the squad. Then a different medal for this who were on the field.

If any year shows why this is dumb it’s this year - Brisbane were ho hum in the season and great during the finals series

Why give a GF medal to the ho hum period player

 

[speedpeck23]

If any year shows why this is dumb it’s this year - Brisbane were ho hum in the season and great during the finals series

Why give a GF medal to the ho hum period player

It's a "PREMIERSHIP" Medal not a Grand Final Medal. Maybe all Clubs should take turns playing in the Grand final and not worry about playing matches during the season to qualify for the GF. Then just give medals to the players in the winning grand final team.

 

[TheUnicorn]

Maybe if they played a certain amount of games throughout the season, since they contributed to the teams success overall.

 

[Cleansweep17]

We should spice it up by letting the coach give a medal to somebody else.

Eg, Fort goes up on stage gets the medal and Fagan then goes yoink and gives it the Big O

 

[Back One Out]

What's the big deal about medals anyway? It's just cheap trinket. Not exactly a $50,000 Super Bowl gold ring with 600 diamonds. What do you think Michael Voss, Sam Mitchell or Jimmy Bartel value more: the premiership medals they keep in a drawer at home, or the memories they made from playing in all those premiership teams?



Oscar McInerney has played a vital role in Brisbane's renaissance over the past 6 years as their number 1 ruckman. A key contributor again this year, playing in 25 of 27 games. He doesn't need a medal to know he played his part in Brisbane's premiership success.

I suppose the real debate is less about the actual medal itself and more about the official recognition from the AFL that he is a premiership player. As it stands, you need to be selected in the winning Grand Final team to earn that accolade. The AFL has to draw a line somewhere. That seems like a natural place to make the divide between premiership players and non-premiership players.

There is nothing to stop the clubs themselves from honouring their unlucky contributors like Oscar McInerney

46

Oscar Mcinerney

Age

30

Ht

204cm

Wt

110kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.1

2star

K

4.1

2star

HB

3.9

3star

CL

1.4

4star

HO

14.3

5star

D

6.9

1star

K

4.1

2star

HB

2.7

2star

CL

1.9

4star

HO

16.4

5star

D

7.6

2star

K

4.0

2star

HB

3.6

3star

CL

0.4

3star

HO

11.2

5star

. I would've liked to have seen The Big O join his teammates on the dais for the premiership victory photo. He could've stood up the back in his club tracksuit. It would've been a nice touch.

He should also turn up to the 2024 premiership reunions the Lions have in the future. It's always seemed ridiculous to me when players stay away from those reunions because an injury kept them out of the Grand Final team. Bugger that. It's about reminiscing with your teammates over a few drinks. Oscar played his part. He has his stories to tell. Him missing out on the last game is just another story (albeit a tragic one)

----------

If the Swans had won the Grand Final, I would not have the same sympathy for Taylor Adams

3

Taylor Adams

Age

31

Ht

181cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

24.9

5star

K

13.5

5star

HB

11.4

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

4.8

5star

CL

5.0

5star

D

20.4

5star

K

12.4

5star

HB

8.0

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

5.9

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

18.2

5star

K

11.0

4star

HB

7.2

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

3.0

5star

CL

2.2

4star

. He was basically a fringe player for the Swans. He managed to play 19 games... a couple of those as sub... and he spent a lot of the time as a bench warmer. When push came to shove, the Sydney coaches omitted him from their best 23. Nothing unlucky about that. He wasn't good enough.

I also thought Bob Murphy got way too much media coverage for missing out back in 2016. Fair enough, he was the club captain. The fact remains he played just 3 games in 2016 when he ruptured his ACL. He wasn't a factor in the Bulldogs' premiership success. But I applaud the Doggies for choosing to honour him the way they did. I thought it was all bit over the top, but good on them for doing things their way.

 

[Dan26]

Oh for god’s sake

No. They didn’t play

They’re not the premiers of September the 28th you know.

Premiers of 2024 means premiers of the season, not the day. A premiership is a season achievement.