Monkhorst, who played 205 games for the Magpies from 1988-1999, polled eight votes to just beat out skipper Gavin Brown (7).
Monkhorst collected 20 disposals and 13 hitouts in the round five contest, the third ANZAC Day match in history.
“During those early years Collingwood really got up emotionally for the game," Monkhorst told the Herald Sun earlier in the week.
"I don't know whether Essendon got as worked up for it as we did.
"It's a fantastic thing to play on Anzac Day and it highlights the deeds of the past from the Diggers. I just think that we handled it a bit better than they did in the early years.
"The AFL, Essendon and Collingwood Football Clubs have come together to award retrospective ANZAC Medals from 1995-99. Click here to view previous medal winners.
The AFL, the two clubs as well as the Herald Sun and Channel 10 collaborated to award medals for the first five ANZAC Day matches the sides contested, and a three-person panel was appointed to vote for each game.
The retrospective ANZAC Medals are recognised as official awards by the AFL. Recipients will be presented with their medals at next Monday's ANZAC Day match at the MCG.
Damian Monkhorst player bio
Games: 215 AFL games (205 Collingwood)
Goals: 45 goals (45 Collingwood)
Brad Johnson (AFL)
3. Gavin Brown (Coll), 2. Damian Monkhorst (Coll), 1. Nathan Buckley (Coll)
Glenn McFarlane (Herald Sun)
3. Damian Monkhorst (Coll), 2. Gavin Brown (Coll), 1. David Calthorpe (Ess)
Mark Howard (Channel 10)
3. Damian Monkhorst (Coll), 2. Gavin Brown (Coll), 1. David Calthorpe (Ess)
Total
8 - Damian Monkhorst (Coll)
7 - Gavin Brown (Coll)
2 - David Calthorpe (Ess)
1 - Nathan Buckley (Coll
