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User:Teratix/Mark of the Year

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Marks where one player jumps upon another's back for height – known as "spectacular marks" – are often named Mark of the Year.

In Australian rules football, a player can take a mark by catching the ball from a kick,[a] which earns protection from tackles. In the Australian Football League (AFL), the mark subjectively judged the best in each season is named Mark of the Year.

The award is almost always given to spectacular marks – those where one player jumps upon another's back to reach the ball. Although there are no formal rules prescribing what a good mark is, some important factors are how high the player leaps, how long he stays in the air, whether his catch is clean, whether he catches the ball with extended arms, and how dramatic his fall is.[1]

The award was inspired by a famous mark taken by Carlton's Alex Jesaulenko in the 1970 VFL Grand Final. Following Jesaulenko's mark, two football television shows – Channel Seven's World of Sport and The Winners on the ABC – began awarding the title "Mark of the Year" to the best marks as judged by their panels of football experts. The two shows would often choose different winners. Seven's award was more prestigious because the winning player received a car, but the ABC's edition only bestowed lesser prizes like mugs and bicycles – a disparity bemoaned by several players who only won the latter.

In 2001, the AFL itself began operating an official Mark of the Year award in competition with Seven, which became the more prominent award. Certain sources, like the AFL Record, only acknowledge these official winners as having taken Marks of the Year.

Thirty-two players have won the competition; of those, five have won multiple times and six are still active in the AFL. Peter Knights (Hawthorn) and Tony Modra (Adelaide/Fremantle) have won the most Mark of the Year awards, with three each.

The competition is run alongside the Goal of the Year contest, which recognises the best goal kicked during an AFL season. Two players have won both the "Mark of the Year" and "Goal of the Year" awards in the same season: Michael Mitchell and Peter Bosustow.

Background edit

Currently also known by its sponsorship name as the "Weet Bix AFL Mark of the Year",[2][3] the competition is open to players in the AFL (Australian rules football's highest league).[4][5] Winners receive an assortment of prizes, including $5,000 for their grassroots (junior) club, the use of a Toyota Kluger for 12 months and the Alex Jesaulenko Medal.[3][4][6][7]

The current Victorian Football League (formerly known as the Victorian Football Association) runs a similar competition; however, the winners are selected only from the few games that are televised. Many other amateur Australian rules football leagues also run an equivalent competition, but they often rely on less comprehensive television footage; some amateur leagues rely on spectators who submit photos and amateur video recordings to the league[8] or to television shows such as the AFL Footy Show.[9][10]

Chris Tarrant's mark in round 11, 2001 has been used as the basis of the silhouette for the Mark of the Year logo, despite its losing the Mark of the Year to Gary Moorcroft's round 14 mark.[3] Many of the best marks in the VFL/AFL were featured in a VHS/DVD named Miracle Marks.[11]

History edit

The competition was initiated following Alex Jesaulenko's mark over Graeme "Jerker" Jenkin in the 1970 (Victorian Football League) Grand Final and later recognised officially as the Mark of the Year; the medal awarded to the winner now bears his name.[4][5][12] During the 1970s and early 1980s, the award was decided by a panel of football experts on Network Seven's "World of Sport" program and during the 1980s and 1990s, the winning mark was determined by selected football journalists and experts.[4] With minor modifications, the current selection process was first used in the 1998 season.[8][13] In 1990, the competition (originally known as the VFL Mark of the Year) was renamed the AFL Mark of the Year, following the inception of the AFL.[4][14][15]

The AFL ran the first official Mark of the Year competition in 2001, in direct competition with Seven's established contests.[16][17]

In 2007, marks from finals were permitted for the first time.[18][19][20][21][22][23]

Selection process edit

 
 
 
Jeremy Howe of Collingwood marking over Melbourne's Oscar McDonald. This mark was overlooked for 2017 Mark of the Year in favour of Essendon's Joe Daniher's effort against St Kilda, which led the AFL to scrap public voting on the winner.

Although there is no set criteria for selecting the Mark of the Year, Robert Walls, who served on the selection panel in 2008, noted several key characteristics of excellent marks – "a big leap, a ride above the pack, holding onto the ball cleanly and for the correct length of time". Walls also identified marks taken by players running backward with the flight of the ball into packs as another type of excellent mark.[24]

After each round of the regular AFL season, three "mark of the week" nominations are determined by a panel of football experts. The general public can then vote for a weekly winner on the AFL website.[2][7]

After the regular season's end, the title is given to a single mark, which is chosen by the All-Australian selection committee; the public is not given a say in the final outcome. The selection committee is not restricted to choosing a winner from the mark of the week winners; indeed, in 2010, the two favourites both came in round 21, and although the public voted Brendon Goddard as mark of the week, the selection panel named Jurrah as Mark of the Year. The winner is announced during grand final week.[7]

Recipients edit

AFL recipients edit

External videos
  Every Mark of the Year from 2001–2019
 
Jonathan Brown
 
Chris Tarrant
 
Nic Naitanui
 
Isaac Heeney
Table of recipients
Year Recipient Club Opposition Round Venue Ref.
2001 Gary Moorcroft Essendon Western Bulldogs 14 Docklands Stadium [25]
2002 Jonathan Brown Brisbane Hawthorn 17 Melbourne Cricket Ground [26]
2003 Chris Tarrant Collingwood Geelong 18 Docklands Stadium [27]
2004 Ashley Sampi West Coast Melbourne 7 Melbourne Cricket Ground [28]
2005 Luke McPharlin Fremantle West Coast 3 Subiaco Oval
2006 Brad Ottens Geelong Sydney 5 Docklands Stadium [29]
2007 Michael Newton Melbourne North Melbourne 17 Docklands Stadium [30]
2008 Matthew Lloyd Essendon Melbourne 18 Melbourne Cricket Ground [31]
2009 Brett Burton Adelaide Carlton 22 Docklands Stadium [32]
2010 Liam Jurrah Melbourne Port Adelaide 21 Football Park [33]
2011 Andrew Krakouer Collingwood Adelaide 9 Docklands Stadium [34][35]

[36][37]

2012 Jeremy Howe Melbourne Sydney 8 Sydney Cricket Ground [38]
2013 Jamie Elliott Collingwood Port Adelaide 14 Football Park [39]
2014 Chad Wingard Port Adelaide St Kilda 12 Adelaide Oval [40]
2015 Nic Naitanui West Coast Geelong 9 Subiaco Oval
2016 Majak Daw North Melbourne Collingwood 18 Docklands Stadium [41]
2017 Joe Daniher Essendon St Kilda 17 Docklands Stadium [42]
2018 Isaac Heeney Sydney Melbourne 21 Melbourne Cricket Ground [43]
2019 Liam Ryan West Coast Melbourne 9 Perth Stadium [44]
2020 Sam Walsh Carlton Port Adelaide 7 Gabba
2021 Shai Bolton Richmond Geelong 8 Melbourne Cricket Ground
2022 Mitch Georgiades Port Adelaide Fremantle 16 Perth Stadium

Channel Seven recipients edit

general source Barker x2? Roach/Barker 1979 general/Capper 1987/Hunter 1983

Table of recipients
Year Recipient Club Opposition Rd. Venue Ref.
1971 [data missing]
1972
1973 Alan Atkinson Collingwood Hawthorn 21 Waverley Park [45][46]
1974 Billy Picken Collingwood Richmond 9 Melbourne Cricket Ground [46]
1975 [data missing]
1976 Billy Picken (2) Collingwood St Kilda 16 Victoria Park [46]
1977 [data missing]
1978 Peter Moore Collingwood Carlton 18 Princes Park [47][48][49]
1979 Trevor Barker (Seven) St Kilda [data missing] [50]
Michael Roach (ABC) Richmond Hawthorn 5 Melbourne Cricket Ground [50]
1980 [data missing]
1981 Peter Bosustow# Carlton Geelong 18 Princes Park
1982 Geoff Raines (ABC) Richmond Fitzroy 2 Melbourne Cricket Ground
1983 Ken Hunter (Seven) Carlton Richmond 1 Princes Park [51]
Peter Bosustow (ABC) Carlton [data missing] [52]
1984 Wayne Carroll (Seven) Sydney Footscray 16 Sydney Cricket Ground [53][54]
Denis Banks (ABC) Collingwood Footscray 10 Western Oval [54]
1985 Gary Ablett, Sr. Geelong North Melbourne 5 Kardinia Park [55]
1986 Tony Morwood (Seven) Sydney Fitzroy SF Melbourne Cricket Ground [56]
Alan Ezard (ABC) Essendon Carlton 5 Waverley Park [57]
1987 Warwick Capper (ABC) Sydney North Melbourne 10 Sydney Cricket Ground [51][58]
1988 Stephen Silvagni Carlton Collingwood 14 Melbourne Cricket Ground
1989 Alastair Lynch Fitzroy North Melbourne 16 Melbourne Cricket Ground [59]
1990 Michael Mitchell# Richmond Fitzroy 5 Melbourne Cricket Ground
1991 Brett Allison North Melbourne Collingwood 11 Melbourne Cricket Ground
1992 Nicky Winmar St Kilda Essendon 16 Melbourne Cricket Ground [60]
1993 Tony Modra Adelaide North Melbourne 8 Football Park [61]
1994 Gary Ablett, Sr. (2) Geelong Collingwood 7 Melbourne Cricket Ground
1995 Shaun Smith Melbourne Brisbane Lions 22 Brisbane Cricket Ground
1996 Ben Hart Adelaide St Kilda 8 Football Park [62]
1997 Tony Modra (2) Adelaide North Melbourne 17 Football Park [61]
1998 Winston Abraham North Melbourne Port Adelaide 18 Manuka Oval [63]
1999 Matthew Lappin Carlton Essendon 1 Melbourne Cricket Ground [63]
2000 Tony Modra (3) Fremantle Geelong 1 Subiaco Oval [63]

Notes edit

  1. ^ The ball cannot have touched the ground nor been touched by another player. It must also have travelled a minimum distance.

References edit

  1. ^ Atkinson, Cody; Lawson, Sean (24 May 2023). "GWS high flyer Harry Himmelberg, his road to the AFL, and what goes into taking a speccie?". ABC News. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  2. ^ a b "AFL Mark of the year". droppunt.com.au. Archived from the original on 12 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
  3. ^ a b c "Hungry Jack's Mark of the year". afl.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 September 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
  4. ^ a b c d e Childs, Kevin; Weiniger, Peter; Dunn, Roger; Hutchinson, Alex; Cash, Damien; Duhengoh, Ron (1996). John Ross; Garrie Hutchinson (eds.). 100 Years of Australian Football 1897 - 1996 (1st ed.). Ringwood, Victoria, Australia: Penguin Books Australia Ltd - The Viking Press. p. 383. ISBN 978-1854714343.
  5. ^ a b Harding, Mike (3 May 1995). "Bare, Bald and Blue". Sports Weekly.
  6. ^ "AFL Mark of the year". droppunt.com. Archived from the original on 10 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
  7. ^ a b c "About Mark of the Year". afl.com.au. Archived from the original on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
  8. ^ a b McLeod, Andrew; Jaques, Trevor D. (2006). Australian Football: Steps to Success. Human Kinetics. p. 192 pages. ISBN 0-7360-6005-7.
  9. ^ "WWOS - Footy Show Section, Almost Football Legends". ninemsn network. Archived from the original on 20 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-02.
  10. ^ "Almost Football Legends" (PDF). Nine Network Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 December 2009. Retrieved 2008-11-14.
  11. ^ "AFL-Miracle Marks (2000)". michaeldvd.com. Retrieved 2008-09-22.
  12. ^ Broad, Ben (8 May 2008). "You beauty! Jezza made an AFL legend". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 25 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-27.
  13. ^ "Toyota AFL Mark and Goal of the Year". afl.com.au. Archived from the original on 18 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
  14. ^ Sayer, Max. "The AFL and The History Of Australian Football". Full Points Publications. Archived from the original on 18 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
  15. ^ "Berlin Crocodiles - AU football Club". Berlin Australian Football Club e.V. (BAFC). Archived from the original on 12 May 2009. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
  16. ^ Denham, Greg; Rielly, Stephen (4 April 2001). "New Ch7 v AFL battle looming". The Age. Melbourne: Fairfax Media. p. Sport, 5. the AFL yesterday announced that it would be running goal-of-the-year and mark-of-the-year competitions this season that would compete with Channel Seven's well-established contests.
  17. ^ Le Grand, Chip (4 April 2001). "AFL and Seven in shaky truce". The Australian. News Limited. p. 22. the AFL's plans to run a rival mark- and goal-of-the-year competition to that which Channel Seven has traditionally promoted on its football shows.
  18. ^ Lyon, Karen (27 September 2005). "A mark for the ages". The Age. Melbourne: Fairfax Media. pp. Sport, 1.
  19. ^ Perkin, Steve (17 September 2007). "Soar losers; why some of footy's greatest grabs can't win Mark of the Year". Herald Sun. News Limited. p. 49.
  20. ^ Gleeson, Michael (21 November 2017). "'I'll just have to go higher next year': Howe still determined to make a winning mark". The Age. Melbourne: Fairfax Media. p. 38.
  21. ^ Lane, Samantha (15 July 2009). "When Eagle flies, soaring Saint misses out". The Age. Melbourne: Fairfax Media. p. Sport, 2.
  22. ^ "AFL: "Leaping" Leo misses out on mark of the year". Australian Sports News Wire. Australian Associated Press. 27 September 2005.
  23. ^ Morrissey, Tim (28 September 2005). "Barry's spectacular save not good enough". The Daily Telegraph. Sydney: News Limited. p. 78.
  24. ^ Sheridan, Nick (5 August 2008). "September 'screamers' to contend for mark of year". The Age. Melbourne: Fairfax Media. p. 5.
  25. ^ "2001 AFL MARK OF THE YEAR". droppunt.com. Archived from the original on 7 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-28.
  26. ^ Walsh, Courtney (24 June 2014). "Over the top courage the mark of Brisbane Lions' Jonathan Brown".
  27. ^ "Mark of the Year 2003". Archived from the original on 24 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
  28. ^ AAP (7 September 2004). "New faces dominate All-Australian team". Melbourne: the age. Archived from the original on 8 December 2012. Retrieved 2008-09-27.
  29. ^ AAP (1 October 2006). "Betts' goal provides Blues' bright spot". Melbourne: the age. Retrieved 2008-09-27.
  30. ^ "Newton wins 2007 Toyota AFL Mark of the Year". AFL.COM.AU. 26 September 2007. Archived from the original on 8 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
  31. ^ "Lloyd, Davis claim honours". The Herald Sun. 2008-10-08. Retrieved 2008-10-10.
  32. ^ "Burton, Rioli win mark and goal of the year". AFL BigPond Network. 28 September 2009. Archived from the original on 29 September 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-28.
  33. ^ "Jurrah and Franklin scoop mark, goal honours". AFL BigPond Network. 13 September 2010. Archived from the original on 16 September 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-13.
  34. ^ Krakouer best in year of the screamer
  35. ^ "Error". The Age.
  36. ^ "Walker 'robbed' in mark vote". foxsports.com.au. 20 September 2011.
  37. ^ "Heraldsun.com.au - Subscribe to the Herald Sun for exclusive stories". www.heraldsun.com.au.
  38. ^ "Howe wins Mark of the Year - MELBOURNEFC.com.au". melbournefc.com.au. 30 December 2012. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012.
  39. ^ Macgugan, Mark (28 September 2013). "Buddy's bonus: Watch the 2013 mark and goal of the year". AFL.com.au. BigPond.
  40. ^ Rucci, Michelangelo (22 September 2014). "Port Adelaide duo Chad Wingard and Matt White win Mark and Goal of the Year at Brownlow presentation". The Advertiser.
  41. ^ Gaskin, Lee (26 September 2016). "Daw soars and Eddie electrifies to claim Mark and Goal of the Year". AFL.com.au.
  42. ^ Navaratnam, Dinny (25 September 2017). "Revealed: 2017 mark and goal of the year". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  43. ^ "Mark and Goal of the Year winners revealed". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. 24 September 2018.
  44. ^ "Four times a charm for Eddie, Ryan flies high for big award". AFL.com.au. 23 September 2019.
  45. ^ McFarlane, Glenn (17 July 2019). "Sensational Seventies: Alan Atkinson". collingwoodfc.com.au. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  46. ^ a b c Mason, Luke (27 September 2013). "A history of Collingwood's Marks of the Year". collingwoodfc.com.au. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  47. ^ Keane, Patrick (14 June 2022). "From flag skipper to AFL chairman: Fitzpatrick inducted into Hall of Fame". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  48. ^ "Seven greats inducted". AFL.com.au. 19 March 2007. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  49. ^ "Round 18: Match stats". AFL Tables. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  50. ^ a b Greenburg, Tony (30 July 2015). "50 years of MCG memories: Michael Roach's remarkable mark in 1979". richmondfc.com.au. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  51. ^ a b Pierek, Jon (26 July 2021). "AFL mark of the year battle rises to another level". The Age. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  52. ^ Zurbo, Matt (6 June 2019). "Almanac Footy Books (and Lunches): An extract from Matt Zurbo's 'Heart & Soul' – Ken Hunter". The Footy Almanac. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  53. ^ Main, Jim (25 July 2011). "Swan Songs: with Wayne Carroll". sydneyswans.com.au. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  54. ^ a b McFarlane, Glenn. "Banks robbed of Mark of the Year". Collingwood Forever. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  55. ^ Ryan, Peter (28 April 2020). "The Man who helped Ablett and Capper to fly high". The Age. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  56. ^ Eva, Bruce (16 September 2011). "Soaring Swan". AFL Record. Melbourne: AFL Media. p. 81. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  57. ^ Eva, Bruce (20 April 2011). "Answering the ANZAC Day call". AFL Record. Melbourne: AFL Media. p. 62. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  58. ^ Collins, Ben (8 September 2017). "The day 'The Wiz' rocked Waverley". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  59. ^ Ryan, Peter (30 June 2021). "'Like father, like son': How Hawk high-flyer took Buckley back to 1989". The Age. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  60. ^ Nice, Chris (3 July 2019). "On This Day: Nicky Winmar takes Mark of the Year". saints.com.au. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  61. ^ a b "Tony Modra - footystamps.com". www.footystamps.com. 2006-09-24. Retrieved 2008-09-28.
  62. ^ "Ben Hart of the Adelaide Crows Player Profile and AFL stats". ProWess Sports. Retrieved 2008-09-28.
  63. ^ a b c "Past Marks' of the year". droppunt.com. Archived from the original on 24 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
 
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