Alex Jesaulenko Medal

The Alex Jesaulenko Medal refers to three unrelated medals in Australian rules football, all named in honour of Alex Jesaulenko, a legend in the Australian Football Hall of Fame. The medals are currently awarded annually to the best player in the grand final of the AFL Canberra league and to the winner of the Mark of the Year in the Australian Football League. In the 1990s a medal of the same name was awarded to the best player for The Allies representative team in State Of Origin football.

AFL Canberra

Jesaulenko started his football career with the Eastlake Football Club in the Canberra Australian National Football League. In recognition of his achievements in the VFL the league awards the Alex Jesaulenko Medal to the best player in the Grand Final each year. In 2008 the award was won by Nicholas Smith.^[1]

Mark of the Year

In recent years, the AFL has awarded the Alex Jesaulenko Medal to the winner of the Mark of the Year^[2] in recognition of Jesaulenko's famous mark in the 1970 VFL Grand Final, one of the most recognisable spectacular marks of all time. The incumbent winner is Greater Western Sydney's Harry Himmelberg.^[3]

State of Origin

In State of Origin football, the medal was awarded to the best player on the ground for The Allies representative team. It was only awarded from 1995 to 1998, when The Allies team, consisting of players not from the major football states of Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. It honoured Jesaulenko's Canberra origins being outside of the major Australian football states and hence would have qualified to play for The Allies had the concept existed during his career.

Winners

1995 – Ryan O'Connor
1996 – Matthew Richardson
1997 – Nathan Buckley
1998 – Shane Crawford

References

^ Reserves win Grand Final Archived 26 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine (14 September 2008)
^ Lloyd, Davis make their mark Archived 9 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine; (9 October 2008)
^ Schmook, Nathan (25 September 2023). "Giants flyer, young Lion win Mark and Goal of the Year". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 25 September 2023.

[1] Reserves win Grand Final Archived 26 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine (14 September 2008)

[2] Lloyd, Davis make their mark Archived 9 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine; (9 October 2008)

[3] Schmook, Nathan (25 September 2023). "Giants flyer, young Lion win Mark and Goal of the Year". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 25 September 2023.

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v t e Interstate matches in Australian rules football
Section A Championships	1908 Melbourne Carnival 1911 Adelaide Carnival 1914 Sydney Carnival 1921 Perth Carnival 1924 Hobart Carnival 1927 Melbourne Carnival 1930 Adelaide Carnival 1933 Sydney Carnival 1937 Perth Carnival 1947 Hobart Carnival 1950 Brisbane Carnival 1953 Adelaide Carnival 1956 Perth Carnival 1958 Melbourne Carnival 1961 Brisbane Carnival 1966 Hobart Carnival 1969 Adelaide Carnival 1972 Perth Carnival 1975 Knockout Carnival 1979 Perth Carnival 1980 Adelaide Carnival 1983 Championships 1984 Championships 1985 Championships 1986 Championships 1987 Championships 1988 Adelaide Carnival 1993 Championships
Section B Championships	1908 Melbourne Carnival 1947 Hobart Carnival 1950 Brisbane Carnival 1951 Canberra Minor States Carnival 1954 North Hobart Minor States Carnival 1958 Melbourne Carnival 1960 Sydney Minor States Carnival 1965 Division 2 Championships 1968 Canberra Minor States Carnival 1971 Brisbane Minor States Carnival 1974 Sydney Minor States Carnival 1979 Perth Carnival 1988 Adelaide Carnival 1993 Championships
Other Events	Other State of Origin matches 2008 AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match 2020 State of Origin for Bushfire Relief Match
Women's	AFL Women's National Championship 2017 State of Origin
Underage	AFL National Championships AFL Women's Under 18 Championships
Awards	National: Tassie Medal Allies: Alex Jesaulenko Medal Queensland: Zane Taylor Medal South Australia: Fos Williams Medal Tasmania: Lefroy Medal Victoria: E. J. Whitten Medal Frank Johnson Medal Allen Aylett Medal Western Australia: Simpson Medal Graham Moss Medal U/18: Larke Medal (Division 1) Hunter Harrison Medal (Division 2)