AFL FAQs - Awards

The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996 and has 155 inductees. There are 10 umpires, 6 media, 11 administrators, 10 coaches, 104 players and 14 Legends. Being named a Legend is a huge honour and they are listed as follows.

It is awarded to the fairest and best player(s) in the home-and-away series on votes cast by the field umpires.

Players found guilty by the AFL Tribunal of an offence and suspended during the home-and-away rounds are ineligible to win.

The award was instituted in 1924 and - except for a break from 1942 to 1945 during World War II - has continued every year.

A total of six votes - 3, 2 and 1 - are awarded in each game, with the player adjudged best on the ground receiving three votes.

For many years a countback system that operated in the event of a tie for first place allowed only one winner each season. However, the system was changed before the 1981 season and several players who had been beaten on a countback were awarded medals retrospectively.

Four players have won the medal three times - Haydn Bunton (Fitzroy), Dick Reynolds (Essendon), Bob Skilton (South Melbourne) and Ian Stewart (St Kilda/ Richmond).

John Coleman was a champion Essendon full-forward, playing 98 games and kicking 537 goals before a serious knee injury prematurely ended his playing career.

Instituted in 1993 to recognise and encourage talented young players in the AFL.