The Crichton Medal is the best and fairest award for the Australian rules football team the Essendon Football Club. Since 1959 or 1960, it has been known officially as the W. S. Crichton Medal. The naming of the award is in honour of Wally Crichton, a former administrator for Essendon (who was a committeeman from 1926 to 1931, vice-president from 1932 to 1940, and president from 1941 to 1959). The voting system as of the 2017 AFL season consists of five coaches, giving each player a ranking from zero to five after each match. Players can receive a maximum of 25 votes for a game.
Essendon's best-and-fairest award has been awarded since 1897, although records of winners between 1897 and 1921 are incomplete. The award was suspended during World War I.
Recipients ^Denotes current player+Player won Brownlow Medal in same season
Season Recipient(s)Ref. 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 (2) 1910 1911 1912 (2) 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 (2) 1924 (3) 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 + 1935 (2) 1936 (2) 1937 + (3) 1938 + (4) 1939 (5) 1940 1941 1942 (6) 1943 (7) 1944 1945 (2) 1946 (3) 1947 1948 (2) 1949 1950 (3) 1951 1952 + (4) 1953 + (5) 1954 1955 (6) 1956 (7) 1957 1958 1959 1960 (2) 1961 1962 (2) 1963 1964 (2) 1965 (2) 1966 1967 (3) 1968 1969 (2) 1970 1971 (3) 1972 1973 1974 1975 (2) 1976 + (3) 1977 1978 1979 (2) 1980 1981 1982 1983 (3) 1984 (4) 1985 (2) 1986 1987 1988 (3) 1989 (4) 1990 (2) 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 (2) 1996 + (3) 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 (4) 2004 2005 (2) 2006 (2) 2007 (5) 2008 2009 2010 (2) 2011 2012 (3) 2013 2014 2015 2016 ^ 2017 2018 2019 ^ (2) 2020 ^ 2021 ^ (3) 2022 ^ 2023 ^ (4) 2024 ^ (5) 2025 ^ (6) 2026 ^ (7)
Multiple winners ^Denotes current player
Player Medals Seasons 7 1947, 1948, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956 7 1934, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1942, 1943 ^ 7 2016, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 5 1994, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2007 4 1977, 1979, 1983, 1984 4 1980, 1985, 1988, 1989 3 1961, 1965, 1967 3 1941, 1945, 1946 3 1968, 1969, 1971 3 1922, 1923, 1924 3 1974, 1975, 1976 3 2009, 2010, 2012 2 1957, 1960 2 1908, 1909 2 1911, 1912 2 1958, 1962 2 1930, 1935 2 1963, 1964 2 2001, 2005 2 2003, 2006 2 1987, 1990
Notes The best-and-fairest was first awarded in 1897; however, records from 1897 to 1921 are incomplete. The Essendon Football Club did not participate in the 1916 and 1917 VFL seasons due to World War I.
References General
Specific