Who has the most Coleman medals in AFL?

The prestigious Coleman Medal, awarded to the leading goalkicker in the Australian Football League (AFL) home-and-away season, has a rich history of prolific forwards. As of the end of the 2023 AFL season, the record for the most Coleman Medals won by a single player is shared by two legendary figures: Tony Lockett, Gordon Coventry, and Doug Wade. Each of these iconic players has claimed the coveted award on four occasions.

Tony Lockett’s four Coleman Medals came during his illustrious careers with both St Kilda and Sydney. Gordon Coventry achieved his quartet of awards playing for Collingwood, a testament to his dominance in the early eras of the VFL. Doug Wade’s remarkable goalkicking prowess saw him secure four Coleman Medals across his time with Geelong and North Melbourne. Their consistent ability to kick bags of goals over multiple seasons cemented their places as the most decorated Coleman Medallists in AFL history.

What is the AFL most goals award?

The AFL’s leading goalkicker award is known as the Coleman Medal. This prestigious individual honor is presented annually to the player who kicks the most goals during the home-and-away season of the Australian Football League. It is one of the most coveted personal accolades in Australian Rules Football, recognizing exceptional skill and consistent scoring prowess.

The Coleman Medal is named in honor of John Coleman, a legendary full-forward for the Essendon Football Club. Coleman was renowned for his prolific goalkicking during his career in the 1950s, famously kicking 100 goals in a season three times. His enduring legacy as a goalkicking champion made him the ideal namesake for an award celebrating the league’s top scorer.

While there isn’t a separate, distinct “most goals award” beyond the Coleman Medal itself, the term “most goals award” directly refers to the achievement of winning the Coleman Medal. It signifies the player’s success in outscoring all other competitors over the course of the regular season.

Has a small forward ever won the Coleman?

The Coleman Medal, awarded to the leading goalkicker in the Australian Football League (AFL) home-and-away season, has historically been dominated by players occupying key forward positions. These are typically full forwards or centre half-forwards, whose primary role is to kick goals and who often spend the majority of their game time deep inside the attacking 50-meter arc. Their positioning and the team’s structure are often geared towards maximizing their scoring opportunities.

While the role of a small forward has evolved over time, emphasizing ground-level crumbing, defensive pressure, and opportunistic goals, it is highly uncommon for a player primarily classified as a small forward to win the Coleman Medal. The sheer volume of goals required to claim the award typically necessitates a player who is consistently the primary target in the forward line and who receives numerous direct delivery opportunities. Small forwards, by their nature, often kick a lower individual tally of goals per game compared to their taller, key forward counterparts.

To date, there is no clear instance of a player widely recognized and consistently classified as a “small forward” winning the Coleman Medal. The winners have predominantly been players who are the focal point of their team’s attacking structure, often standing over 190cm and playing as traditional key forwards. While some players might have periods where they play a more mobile, smaller role, their Coleman Medal victories have come during seasons where they were primarily used as the main goalkicking option.

Who won this year’s Coleman Medal?

This year’s Coleman Medal was awarded to Charlie Curnow of the Carlton Football Club. Curnow secured the prestigious award for the second consecutive season, solidifying his position as one of the AFL’s premier goalkickers. His consistent performance throughout the 2023 home-and-away season saw him lead the league in goals kicked.

Curnow’s impressive tally of 78 goals across the season placed him comfortably ahead of his nearest competitors. This remarkable achievement marks the first time a Carlton player has won back-to-back Coleman Medals since Brendan Fevola in 2008-2009, highlighting the significance of his individual success. His accuracy and ability to impact games from various positions in the forward line were key factors in his winning performance.