Sandover Medal


The Sandover Medal is an Australian rules football award, given annually since 1921 to the fairest and best player in the West Australian Football League. The award was donated by Alfred Sandover M.B.E., a prominent Perth hardware merchant and benefactor.

Voting system

After each match, the three field umpires confer and award a 3, 2 and 1 point vote to the players they regard as the best, second best, and third best in the match respectively. Voting wasn't always done this way. From 1985-2018, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point votes were given, from 1930–1984, 3, 2 and 1 point votes were given, and prior to 1930 there was only one vote per game.
Just like similar "fairest and best" awards, for example the Brownlow and Magarey Medals, if a player is suspended for a reportable offence throughout the season then they become ineligible to win the award. This in effect is where the "fairest" element of the award comes in.
On the awards night, the votes over the home and away season are tallied and the eligible player with the highest number of votes is awarded the medal. In the past, ties were decided on a countback system, but since 1985 it is possible for multiple medals to be awarded in the event of a tie.
Prior to 1930 when only 1 vote per game was given, and hence a countback was not possible, the WAFL president would cast a deciding vote to decide the winner.
Players that had missed out on a medal due to the countback system were awarded them retrospectively in 1997.

Sandover Medal winners

YearPlayerTeamVotes
1921Cyril Hoft–
1921Tom Outridge–
1922Harold Boyd6
1923William "Digger" Thomas–
1924Jim Gosnell–
1925George Owens4
1926Johnny Leonard6
1927Jim Craig7
1928Jack Rocchi5
1929Johnny Leonard5
1929Billy Thomas5
1930Ted Flemming23
1931Lin Richards34
1932Keith Hough32
1933Sammy Clarke15
1934Sammy Clarke24
1935Lou Daily25
1935George Krepp25
1936George Moloney30
1937Frank Jenkins34
1938Haydn Bunton, Sr.27
1939Haydn Bunton, Sr.20
1940Ed O'Keefe29
1941Haydn Bunton, Sr.22
1942Laurie Bowen13
1943Terry Moriarty28
1944Jim Davies33
1945George Bailey24
1946John Loughridge26
1947Clive Lewington22
1948Merv McIntosh22
1949Gordon Maffina17
1950Frank Allen23
1950Jim Conway23
1951Fred Buttsworth25
1952Steve Marsh20
1953Merv McIntosh14
1954Merv McIntosh22
1955John Todd25
1956Graham Farmer15
1957Jack Clarke19
1957Graham Farmer19
1958Ted Kilmurray20
1959Brian Foley24
1960Graham Farmer26
1961Neville Beard22
1961Ray Sorrell22
1962Haydn Bunton, Jr.22
1963Ray Sorrell20
1964Barry Cable23
1965Bill Walker24
1966Bill Walker20
1967John Parkinson19
1967Bill Walker19
1968Barry Cable25
1969Mal Brown21
1970Pat Dalton17
1970Bill Walker17
1971David Hollins26
1972Ian Miller20
1973Barry Cable25
1974Graham Melrose20
1975Alan Quartermaine16
1976Peter Spencer21
1977Brian Peake24
1978Phil Kelly26
1979Phil Kelly24
1980Stephen Michael24
1981Stephen Michael37
1982Phil Narkle19
1983Bryan Cousins16
1983John Ironmonger16
1984Steve Malaxos17
1984Michael Mitchell17
1984Peter Spencer17
1985Murray Wrensted46
1986Mark Bairstow39
1987Mark Watson 30
1988David Bain42
1989Craig Edwards39
1990Mick Grasso36
1991Ian Dargie34
1992Robbie West32
1993Neil Mildenhall38
1994Ian Dargie34
1995Craig Treleven43
1996Jeremy Wasley37
1997Brady Anderson30
1998Adrian Bromage32
1999Gus Seebeck33
2000Richard Ambrose34
2001Ryan Turnbull31
2002Allistair Pickett33
2003Shane Beros39
2004Allistair Pickett42
2005Jaxon Crabb39
2005Toby McGrath39
2006Matt Priddis58
2007Anthony Jones29
2008Hayden Ballantyne42
2009Ross Young45
2010Andrew Krakouer44
2011Luke Blackwell42
2012Kane Mitchell58
2013Rory O'Brien55
2014Aaron Black47
2015Aidan Tropiano45
2016Jye Bolton49
2017Haiden Schloithe52
2018Jye Bolton52
2019Lachlan Delahunty28

Voting system changed from a single vote per game to 3-2-1 voting in 1930, then to 5-4-3-2-1 voting in 1985, and back to 3-2-1 voting in 2019
In 1987, Derek Kickett polled 46 votes, but was ineligible to win due to suspension.

Multiple winners

The following players have won the Sandover Medal multiple times.
MedalsPlayerTeamSeasons
4Bill WalkerSwan Districts1965, 1966, 1967, 1970
3Haydn Bunton, Sr.Subiaco1938, 1939, 1941
3Merv McIntoshPerth1948, 1953, 1954
3Graham FarmerEast Perth1956, 1957, 1960
3Barry CablePerth1964, 1968, 1973
2Johnny LeonardSubiaco1926, 1929
2Sammy ClarkeClaremont1933, 1934
2Ray SorrellEast Fremantle1961, 1963
2Phil KellyEast Perth1978, 1979
2Stephen MichaelSouth Fremantle1980, 1981
2Peter SpencerEast Perth1976, 1984
2Ian DargieSubiaco1991, 1994
2Allistair PickettPeel Thunder / Subiaco2002, 2004
2Jye BoltonClaremont2016, 2018