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, 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 competition 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.[1]

The award is run in conjunction with the Goal of the Year contest, which recognises the best goal kicked during an AFL season. Two players have won both the mark and goal awards in the same season: Peter Bosustow (1981) and Michael Mitchell (1990).

History

The competition was initiated following Alex Jesaulenko's mark over Graeme "Jerker" Jenkin in the 1970 VFL Grand Final ; the medal awarded to the winner now bears his name.[2][3] During the 1970s and early 1980s, the award was decided by a panel of football experts on Seven's World of Sport. During the 1980s and 1990s, the winning mark was determined by selected football journalists and experts.[2] With minor modifications, the current selection process was first used in the 1998 season.[4]

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 Season Guide, only acknowledge these official winners as having taken Marks of the Year. Chris Tarrant's mark in Round 10, 2001, was previously used as the basis of the silhouette for the Mark of the Year logo despite, ironically, being beaten to the honour by Gary Moorcroft's Round 14 mark, considered by many to be one of the best marks of all time.

Eligibility and prizes

The competition is open to players in the AFL, Australian rules football's highest league.[2][5] As of 2024, winners receive a prize of A$50,000 in cash, a $10,000 donation to their junior club, two million Velocity Points for air travel (valued at approximately $40,000–$80,000 depending on how they are used), and the Alex Jesaulenko Medal. The prizes are sponsored by National Australia Bank and Virgin Australia.[6]

For the majority of the competition's existence, the overall winner has been rewarded with a car, typically the model of whichever auto manufacturer was sponsoring the award at the time. In 1983, Carlton's Ken Hunter won a Holden Commodore SL/X for his mark of the year.[7] The following year's winner, Sydney's Wayne Carroll, scored a Nissan Bluebird TRX for his effort. Richmond's Michael Mitchell received a Ford Laser in 1990 for his win following a phone-in poll that attracted 250,000 callers.[8] Throughout Toyota Australia's sponsorship of the competition in the mid-2000s, players were often granted use of the latest Toyota vehicle (such as the Kluger or Aurion) for 12 months, alongside a $5,000 donation to their grassroots club.[9][10]

Such is the ongoing public association between taking mark of the year and winning "the car", multiple players have believed such a prize was still awarded more than a decade after its cessation.[11][12]

Selection process

After each round of the regular AFL season, three "mark of the week" nominations are selected by the AFL. Members of the public are then invited to vote for a weekly winner on the AFL website. Weekly polls can occasionally be subject to vote brigading by supporters of larger clubs, which has led to highly favoured marks being overlooked for the weekly prize by more underwhelming nominations.[13] Under the current sponsorship arrangement with Four'n Twenty, weekly voters go in the draw to win $5,000, a pie warmer and a year's worth of meat pies.

After the regular season's end, the title is given to a single mark;[14] at times, the eligibility process has extended into the finals series.[10] The potential winner is not restricted to players who won mark of the week; 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 Liam Jurrah as mark of the year. As of 2023, the AFL game analysis committee selects the three finalists from a list of 29 (the 24 weekly winners, plus five additional marks selected by AFL Media) based on a 5–4–3–2–1 vote given by each member of the committee.

The overall winner, currently announced on Brownlow Medal night, is then determined by a combination of committee voting (counted for 10 votes) and public voting (counted for one vote). At one stage, the overall winner was determined purely by the public, which led to widespread outrage in 2017 when Essendon's Joe Daniher took out the title over a mark taken by Collingwood's Jeremy Howe, which many deemed to be one of the greatest of all time.[15] Howe's manager at the time claimed that his player lost up to $40,000 in endorsements and image rights based on the unexpected loss.[16] The league amended the voting process following the public debate.[17]

Debate surrounding finals exclusion

Because the award is traditionally awarded on Brownlow Medal night, which takes place on the Monday before the AFL grand final, the award for both Goal and Mark of the Year is not currently considered for marks and goals taken during the finals series, although this hasn't always been the case.[10] This drew the ire of the press and fans alike in 2024 when Isaac Heeney was ineligible for the Mark of the Year in what is considered one of the greatest marks of all time, which he took in a qualifying final; similar complaints have been made regarding exceptional finals goals for the Goal of the Year counterpart. Ironically, the Alex Jesaulenko Medal itself was inspired by a famous mark he took in the 1970 VFL Grand Final, which, under the current rules, would not have been eligible for the award (had it existed at the time).[18]

Annual winners

Official recipients

Table of winners[19]
Year Winner Club Opposition Rd. Venue
2001 Script error: No such module "Sort". Essendon Western Bulldogs 14 Docklands Stadium
2002 Script error: No such module "Sort". Template:AFL BL2 Hawthorn 17 Melbourne Cricket Ground
2003 Script error: No such module "Sort". Collingwood Geelong 18 Docklands Stadium
2004 Script error: No such module "Sort". West Coast Melbourne 7 Melbourne Cricket Ground
2005 Script error: No such module "Sort". [20] Fremantle West Coast 3 Subiaco Oval
2006 Script error: No such module "Sort". [21] Geelong Sydney 5 Stadium Australia
2007 Script error: No such module "Sort". Melbourne Kangaroos 17 Docklands Stadium
2008 Script error: No such module "Sort". Essendon Melbourne 18 Melbourne Cricket Ground
2009 Script error: No such module "Sort". Adelaide Carlton 22 Docklands Stadium
2010 Script error: No such module "Sort". Melbourne Port Adelaide 21 Football Park
2011 Script error: No such module "Sort". Collingwood Adelaide 9 Docklands Stadium
2012 Script error: No such module "Sort". Melbourne Sydney 8 Sydney Cricket Ground
2013 Script error: No such module "Sort". Collingwood Port Adelaide 14 Football Park
2014 Script error: No such module "Sort". Template:AFL St Kilda 12 Adelaide Oval
2015 Script error: No such module "Sort". Template:AFL Geelong 9 Subiaco Oval
2016 Script error: No such module "Sort". Template:AFL NM Collingwood 18 Docklands Stadium
2017 Script error: No such module "Sort". Essendon St Kilda 17 Docklands Stadium
2018 Script error: No such module "Sort". Sydney Melbourne 21 Melbourne Cricket Ground
2019 Script error: No such module "Sort". Template:AFL Melbourne 9 Perth Stadium
2020 Script error: No such module "Sort". Carlton Port Adelaide 7 Gabba
2021 Script error: No such module "Sort". Richmond Geelong 8 Melbourne Cricket Ground
2022 Script error: No such module "Sort". Template:AFL Fremantle 16 Perth Stadium
2023 Script error: No such module "Sort". Template:AFL GWS Adelaide 1 Giants Stadium
2024 Script error: No such module "Sort". Collingwood Template:AFL NM 14 Marvel Stadium

Channel Seven and ABC recipients

Table of winners
Year Winner Club Opposition Rd. Venue Ref.
1970 Alex Jeasualenko (Seven) Carlton Collingwood GF MCG [22]
1971 Peter Knights (1) (Seven) Hawthorn [23]
1972 Peter Knights (2) (Seven) Hawthorn Footscray [24]
1973 Script error: No such module "Sort". (Seven) Collingwood Hawthorn 21 Waverley Park [25]
1974 Script error: No such module "Sort". (1) (Seven) Collingwood Richmond 9 Melbourne Cricket Ground [26]
1975 Peter Knights (3) (Seven) Hawthorn Carlton Princes Park [27]
1976 Script error: No such module "Sort". (2) (Seven) Collingwood St Kilda 16 Victoria Park [28]
1977 Trevor Barker (1) (Seven) St Kilda South Melbourne [29]
1978 Script error: No such module "Sort". (Seven) Collingwood Carlton 18 Princes Park [30]
1979 Script error: No such module "Sort". (Seven) St Kilda Essendon [31]
Script error: No such module "Sort". (ABC) Richmond Hawthorn 5 Melbourne Cricket Ground [32]
1980 Alex Jesaulenko (ABC) St Kilda Essendon 4 Moorabbin Oval [33]
1981 Script error: No such module "Sort". (Seven) Carlton Geelong 18 Princes Park [34]
Ricky Barham (ABC) Collingwood Essendon 18 MCG [35]
1982 Geoff Raines (Seven) Richmond Fitzroy 2 Melbourne Cricket Ground [36]
Script error: No such module "Sort". (ABC) Richmond Fitzroy 2 Melbourne Cricket Ground [37]
1983 Script error: No such module "Sort". (Seven) Carlton Richmond 1 Princes Park [38]
Script error: No such module "Sort". (ABC) Carlton Script error: No such module "Unsubst". [39] Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
1984 Script error: No such module "Sort". (Seven) Sydney Footscray 16 Sydney Cricket Ground [40][41] Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Script error: No such module "Sort". (ABC) Collingwood Footscray 10 Western Oval [41][42]
1985 Script error: No such module "Sort". Geelong Template:AFL NM 5 Kardinia Park [43]
Peter Knights (4) (ABC) Hawthorn Carlton 10 Princes Park [44]
1986 Script error: No such module "Sort". (Seven) Sydney Fitzroy SF Melbourne Cricket Ground [45]
Script error: No such module "Sort". (ABC) Essendon Carlton 5 Waverley Park [46]
1987 Script error: No such module "Sort". (ABC) Sydney Template:AFL NM 10 Sydney Cricket Ground [47]
1988 Script error: No such module "Sort". Carlton Collingwood 14 Melbourne Cricket Ground [48]
1989 Script error: No such module "Sort". Fitzroy Template:AFL NM 16 Melbourne Cricket Ground [49]
1990 Script error: No such module "Sort". Richmond Fitzroy 5 Melbourne Cricket Ground [50]
1991 Script error: No such module "Sort". Template:AFL NM Collingwood 11 Melbourne Cricket Ground [51]
1992 Script error: No such module "Sort". St Kilda Essendon 16 Melbourne Cricket Ground [52]
1993 Script error: No such module "Sort". Adelaide Template:AFL NM 8 Football Park [53]
1994 Script error: No such module "Sort". (2) Geelong Collingwood 7 Melbourne Cricket Ground [54]
1995 Script error: No such module "Sort". Melbourne Brisbane Lions 22 The Gabba [55]
1996 Script error: No such module "Sort". Adelaide St Kilda 8 Football Park [56]
1997 Script error: No such module "Sort". (2) Adelaide Template:AFL NM 17 Football Park [53]
1998 Script error: No such module "Sort". Template:AFL NM Port Adelaide 18 Manuka Oval [57]
1999 Script error: No such module "Sort". Carlton Essendon 1 Melbourne Cricket Ground [58]
2000 Script error: No such module "Sort". (3) Fremantle Geelong 1 Subiaco Oval [53]

Similar competitions

State leagues such as the South Australian National Football League and the West Australian Football League hold their own mark of the year competitions each season, with public voting determining the overall winner.[59][60] Many other semi-professional and amateur Australian rules football leagues also run an equivalent competition, with the increasing prevalence of league-wide web broadcasting allowing for a more comprehensive nomination process.[61][62] Nation-wide promotions are also intermittently run, encouraging local footballers of all age groups to submit their home videos.[63]

References

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  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
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  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  34. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  35. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  36. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  37. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
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  39. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  41. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  42. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  43. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  48. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  50. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  53. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  55. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  56. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  57. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  58. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  59. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  60. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  61. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  62. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  63. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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Template:Alex Jesaulenko Medal Script error: No such module "Navbox". Template:Australian Football League

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