The Showdown Medal is the medal awarded to the player adjudged best on ground in the Showdown AFL match between Adelaide and Port Adelaide. It is thus similar to the Glendinning–Allan Medal awarded in Western Derby games. However, no medal is awarded if the teams meet in a final, as they did in 2005.
The Showdown Medal was first presented in Showdown VII, Round 7, 2000,Mark Ricciuto and Shane Mensforth, Roo (Sydney: Pan Macmillan, 2007), 105. although in 2025 retrospective Showdown Medals were awarded by the clubs to players adjudged best on ground in the six Showdowns before the first medal was awarded. It also was formerly known as the "West End Medal", but is currently sponsored by Balfours.It's the Balfours Showdown!
For Showdown 39 in Round 16, 2015, the Showdown Medal was named the Phillip Walsh Medal, after the late Adelaide coach Phil Walsh.
AFL
Year Round Winner19974 Darren Mead19 Brett James19984 Adam Kingsley19 19996 Mark Bickley21 2000 7 (2) 22 Trophies-Medals 2001 3 (2) Australian Football League News 18 (3) 2002 5 Round 5, 2002 20 (4) 2003 5 Sporting Life 22 2004 7 (3) Pick your Showdown star of stars 22 2005 3 (4) 20 2006 6 Tell us your best Crows 21 Round 21, 2006 2007 3 Round 3, 2007 18 (2) Round 18, 2007 2008 3 Round 3, 2008 16 Round 16, 2008 2009 6 Round 6, 2009 17 Round 17, 2009 2010 6 Round 6, 2010 17 Round 17, 2010 2011 4 Round 4, 2011 19 Round 19, 2011 2012 5 15 2013 3 19 2014 2 15 (2) 2015 5 (2) 16 2016 2 22 2017 3 20 (3) 2018 8 (3) 20 (4) 2019 8 16 (5) 2020 2 (2) 2021 8 (3) 21 2022 3 23 2023 3 (2) 20 2024 8 23 2025 9 (2) 20 2026 8 16 (2) Italics denotes winner was on the losing team.
Retrospective best on ground As the Showdown Medal was only introduced in 2000, six Showdowns were played without a medal being awarded. In 2019, Michelangelo Rucci, football writer for The Adelaide Advertiser, advocated for a combination of Brownlow Medal, Club Champion voting, and Media votes to determine the selection for retroactively awarded Showdown Medals. This potential for retrospective Showdown Medals being awarded was enhanced by the Western Derby allocating retrospective medals in 2018. Another Showdown where a medal was not awarded to the player adjudged best afield was the 2005 Semi-Final. The official Adelaide website, afc.com.au, lists Simon Goodwin as their best player in the 2005 Showdown Final with 3 goals and 22 disposals at 91% disposal efficiency to his name.
+ Michelangelo Rucci's 'Best on Ground' before Showdown Medal Match Year Combined Winning club Brownlow Club B&F Merv Agars Medal 1 1997 Port Adelaide 2: Shayne Breuer1: Brendon Lade 2: Stephen Paxman1: Stephen Daniels 3: Shane Bond2: Brayden Lyle 2 Adelaide 3: Gavin Wanganeen2: Brendon Lade1: Matthew Connell 2: Darren Jarman1: Kym Koster 2: Stephen Daniels1: Darren Jarman 3 1998 Port Adelaide 3: Nathan Bassett2: Josh Francou1: Matthew Primus 2: Matthew Primus1: Fabian Francis 2: Matthew Primus1: Fabian Francis 4 Adelaide 2: Peter Vardy1: Darren Jarman 2: Peter Vardy1: Ben Hart 2: Peter Vardy1: Ben Hart 5 1999 Adelaide 3: Kane Johnson1: David Gallagher 3: Matthew Robran1: Ben Hart 2: Matthew Robran1: Ben Hart 6 Port Adelaide 3: Brendon Lade1: Gavin Wanganeen 3: Brendon Lade3: Gavin Wanganeen 2: Gavin Wanganeen1: Brendon Lade
+ 2005 Showdown FinalMatch Combined Winning club Brownlow Club B&F Merv Agars Medal 2005 19 Simon Goodwin Adelaide N/A 2: Mark Ricciuto1: Scott Welsh N/A
AFL Women's + Season Round Winner 2022 (S7) 6 2023 1 2024 1 2025 11 2026 8 (2)
See also
Showdown (AFL) Marcus Ashcroft Medal Glendinning–Allan Medal Kirk–Ward Medal
References