Norm Smith Medal

Voting and presentation

The winner is voted on by a five-member panel consisting of former players, journalists and media personalities, with one member designated as the chair. Each panellist independently awards three votes, two votes and one vote to the players they regard as the best, second best and third best in the match, respectively. These are tallied and the highest number of combined votes wins the medal.

There is no chance of a tie for the medal; if two players are tied for votes, the following countbacks will apply in order:

• the player with the higher number of three-votes;
• the player with the higher number of two-votes;
• the player deemed best by the panel chair.

Paul Chapman is the only player to win on a countback, after he and Jason Gram tied with nine votes apiece in 2009.

In some years judges were required to lodge their decisions prior to the completion of the match, to ensure votes were compiled in time for the ceremony. This was changed following the 2002 AFL Grand Final, after Michael Voss had five crucial possessions in the last five minutes of the close game which could have swayed the voting, but eventually placed fourth behind Nathan Buckley. After the match, three of the five judges suggested they would have voted differently if they had lodged their votes after the final siren.

Prior to the 2016 season, if the grand final resulted in a draw, the game would be replayed the following week. In such instances, a separate Norm Smith Medal was awarded in each game. Since 2016, a drawn grand final would result in the use of extra time to determine the winner, rather than a full-match replay.

The medal is presented in a post-match ceremony held immediately after the conclusion of the match. Since 2004, former Norm Smith medallists have presented the award, in the order of the year in which they won; as of 2024, Gary Ablett Sr. is the only former winner to decline presenting the award; and Nathan Buckley's position in the sequence was skipped in 2019, as he was coaching Collingwood, who were yet to be eliminated when the decision on presenter had to be made.

Recipients

Players with multiple wins

Club totals

References

Bibliography

References

1. {{harvnb. Lovett. 2010
2. (20 July 2007). "Norm Smith made AFL Legend". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
3. (29 September 2016). "Greatest AFL finals heroes: Andrew McLeod, No.2". Fairfax Media.
4. (22 July 2018). "Grand final focus: Medal no comfort for Judd". Fairfax Media.
5. (23 August 2017). "David King says AFL coaches should take over the voting for the Norm Smith Medal on grand final day". News Corp Australia.
6. (28 September 2012). "Former Carlton coach Brett Ratten heads Norm Smith Medal voting panel". News Corp Australia.
7. (5 September 2014). "2009 Geelong Cats premiership: Paul Chapman wins Norm Smith Medal". News Corp Australia.
8. (29 September 2011). "Does Jason Gram deserve a retrospective Norm Smith Medal?". News Corp Australia.
9. {{harvnb. Lovett. 2010
10. (1 October 2002). "AFL to delay medal vote until siren". Fairfax Media.
11. (19 April 2016). "AFL drops replays for drawn grand finals, extra time to decide level scores". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
12. (15 July 2014). "Humble Saint Lenny Hayes a true champion". News Corp Australia.
13. (10 August 2017). "James Hird to present Norm Smith Medal at AFL grand final, league confirms". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
14. (2 September 2019). "Buckley OUT, Black IN: Former September stars to present key medals for finals". Telstra Media.
15. (30 September 1979). "Blues take flag by five points". Fairfax Media.
16. (30 September 2016). "AFL finals heroes: Numbers don't lie on Richmond's Kevin Bartlett". Fairfax Media.
17. (17 July 2012). "Bruce Doull in Carlton homecoming". Telstra Media.
18. (24 June 2015). "50 years of MCG memories: Maurice Rioli wins the Norm Smith Medal". Telstra Media.
19. {{harvnb. Holmesby & Main. 2009
20. {{harvnb. Holmesby & Main. 2009
21. (27 February 2015). "Essendon's back-to-back premiership men reach milestone". Fairfax Media.
22. {{harvnb. Holmesby & Main. 2009
23. (18 August 2017). "How the Carlton Blues won the 1987 premiership". Fairfax Media.
24. (19 May 2014). "Ablett snr reminisces 1989 GF". Telstra Media.
25. {{harvnb. Holmesby & Main. 2009
26. (24 March 2014). "Son of Norm Smith medallist on Hawks' radar". Telstra Media.
27. (18 March 2003). "Tears flow as Matera calls it quits". Fairfax Media.
28. {{harvnb. Holmesby & Main. 2009
29. (21 November 2017). "Draft steals: Dean Kemp". Telstra Media.
30. (24 February 2013). "Brownlow medallist Greg Williams 'can't remember large chunks of playing days'". Telstra Media.
31. (28 September 2017). "How a player can cope with the madness of an AFL grand final". The Guardian.
32. (31 August 2016). "AFL names the presenters of major medals". Telstra Media.
33. (30 September 2002). "Religion lifts Hart to football's heights". Fairfax Media.
34. (29 September 2002). "Decorated, devastated". Fairfax Media.
35. (28 September 2003). "Black right on the ball". Fairfax Media.
36. (26 September 2004). "Pickett claims Norm Smith medal". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
37. (24 September 2005). "Victory to the Swans". Fairfax Media.
38. (28 August 2013). "Norm Smith medallist Embley pulls the pin". Telstra Media.
39. (10 August 2017). "Steve Johnson: GWS and former Geelong forward announces retirement at end of 2017". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
40. (27 September 2008). "Luke Hodge wins 2008 Norm Smith Medal". News Corp Australia.
41. (26 September 2009). "Cats crowned 2009 AFL premiers". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
42. (25 September 2010). "Hayes wins Norm Smith Medal". Fairfax Media.
43. (2 October 2010). "Pendlebury wins Norm Smith medal". Fairfax Media.
44. (1 October 2011). "Jimmy Bartel wins Norm Smith Medal". News Corp Australia.
45. (29 September 2012). "Norm Smith Medal winner Ryan O'Keefe hard as a ROK". News Corp Australia.
46. (28 September 2013). "Recruiting gamble pays off as Hawk defender Lake storms to Norm Smith Medal". Telstra Media.
47. (27 September 2014). "Luke Hodge joins Hawthorn greats by winning second Norm Smith Medal". Telstra Media.
48. (3 October 2015). "A family affair: Cyril Rioli wins the Norm Smith Medal". Fairfax Media.
49. (1 October 2016). "Norm Smith: Bulldog Jason Johannisen springs a medal surprise". Telstra Media.
50. (30 September 2018). "'A dream come true': Dustin Martin wins Norm Smith medal". [[Guardian Australia.
51. (29 September 2018). "Shuey wins Norm Smith Medal". [[Fairfax Media]].
52. Ryan, Peter. (2019-09-28). "Dustin Martin wins Norm Smith Medal in 2019 AFL grand final".
53. Twomey, Callum. (2020-10-24). "Yellow and black to back: Tigers stun Cats in epic Grand Final comeback".
54. (2021-09-25). "On Trac for greatness: Record-breaking Demon clinches Norm Smith Medal". [[Telstra Media]].
55. (28 September 2024). "Where there's a Will: Prodigious Lion wins Norm Smith".
56. (27 September 2025). "Will Ashcroft wins Norm Smith Medal as Brisbane Lions romp to back-to-back grand final wins".