Norm Smith Medal

Presented to the player judged - by an independent panel of football experts - to be best on ground in the Grand Final.

The medal was instituted in 1979 to honour Norm Smith, a famous Melbourne Football Club identity who was also associated with Fitzroy and South Melbourne at senior level. Smith played a total of 227 games with Melbourne and Fitzroy and coached in a total of 452 games with Melbourne (310), Fitzroy (55) and South Melbourne (87).

During his 310-game tenure coaching Melbourne, he took the club into every Grand Final between 1954 and 1960 and won six premierships in the years 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1964. He played from 1935 to 1950, and coached at senior level every year between 1949 and 1972, except 1968.

Smith was named as the coach of the AFL Team of the Century and was elevated to Legend Status in 2007.