Is the Brownlow ‘fair’?

The Best and FAIREST?

 

There has been much attention in recent days given to the treatment meted out to Max Gawn’s injured shoulder in the match against Adelaide last week. (I should declare a vested interest here – I am a Melbourne supporter.) This week he is unfit to play. On Channel 9’s Footy Show Kane Cornes was very critical of the behaviour of a number of the Adelaide players, while most of his colleagues defended it, saying it had been going on for years. While I do not doubt this, the fact remains that it is hardly an advertisement for the game, and surely is against its spirit. I also suspect there are some players that are far more likely to engage in this kind of behaviour than others.

 

This brings me to a thought that has been rolling around in my head for several years. I have dismissed it as ridiculous, but now I am starting to wonder if perhaps it is not such a bad idea. We award the Brownlow Medal to the ‘fairest and best’ player for the season, but the emphasis is very much on the ‘best’. The only qualification for ‘fairest’ is that the player has not been suspended during the season by the tribunal. Even a player who has received a fine for an offence remains eligible to win the Brownlow.

 

How about if the umpires (or some other authority if this is regarded as too burdensome for the umpires) also award ‘3’, ‘2’ and ‘1’ votes for the ‘fairest’ player in any given game? Total points for both ‘best’ and ‘fairest’ players could then be added together at the Brownlow ceremony, with equal weight given to each. That would certainly reduce the chances of any player who deliberately strove to aggravate the injuries of already injured players from winning football’s greatest individual honour at the end of each season, and may also serve to help eliminate this blight from our game.

 

 

 

 

To return to the Home Page click HERE

 

Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

 

Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?
And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help keep things ticking over please consider making your own contribution.

Become an Almanac (annual) member – CLICK HERE
One-off financial contribution – CLICK HERE
Regular financial contribution (monthly EFT) – CLICK HERE