In Australian sport, the best and fairest award recognises the player(s) adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition. The awards are sometimes dependent on not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.
In the
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League (AFL) is the only fully professional competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the sport's governing body and is responsible for controlling the laws of the gam ...
(AFL), the
Brownlow Medal is awarded to the player who, provided he has not been suspended during the season, receives the most votes from the
umpires for being the fairest and best player in games during the
home-and-away season. In each game, the umpires award three votes to the player they judge to be the best afield in that game, two votes to the second-best player, and one vote to the third-best player. The votes are counted at a gala function on the Monday preceding the
Grand Final. The eligibility of suspended or reprimanded players due to minor offences to win the award has frequently been questioned.
Another best and fairest honour, the
Leigh Matthews Trophy, is voted on by the AFL's players and awarded by their
trade union, the
AFL Players Association. Unlike the Brownlow, players who have served disciplinary suspensions during the season are still eligible to win this award.
The oldest such award is the
Magarey Medal, awarded to the "fairest and most brilliant" player in the
South Australian National Football League (SANFL). The award was created by
William Ashley Magarey
William Ashley Magarey (30 January 1868 – 18 October 1929) was a lawyer, sportsman and sports administrator. He was the first chairman of the South Australian Football Association (SAFA) (later named South Australian National Football League ...
—then chairman of the league—and was first awarded in 1898.
See also
*
List of Australian Lacrosse best and fairest players
Men's best and fairest:
* 1956-1960: Brady Award
* 1961-1962: ALC Trophy
* 1963–present: O C Isaachsen Trophy
: The Isaachsen Trophy is awarded to the best player in Australia competing in state domestic club competitions. The trophy was donate ...
*
Man of the match
*
Most Valuable Player
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
*
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, formerly known as the Lady Byng Trophy, is presented each year to the National Hockey League "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of ...
, a similar
National Hockey League award
References
{{Australian rules football
Australian Football League awards
Australian Football League
AFL Women's
Association football terminology
Rugby league terminology
Rugby union terminology
Rugby football culture
Sportsmanship trophies and awards
Sports culture in Australia