Coleman Medal

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Australian English Template:Infobox sports award The Coleman Medal is an Australian rules football award given annually to the Australian Football League (AFL) player who kicks the most goals in the home-and-away season. It is named after Essendon full-forward John Coleman, one of the most prolific goalkickers in the league's history, who was league leading goalkicker for five consecutive seasons.<ref name="AFL.com.au">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The medal has been presented at various different events, including the preliminary<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and grand finals,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> the All-Australian awards ceremony,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and club award ceremonies. Template:AFL GWS's Jesse Hogan is the most recent recipient, kicking 69 goals in 2024.

History

The award was first presented in 1981 to Richmond's Michael Roach.<ref name="the age">Template:Cite news</ref> At the time, the competition was known as the Victorian Football League (VFL); it would become the AFL in 1990.<ref name="Chronology">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was named after John Coleman, a full-forward and Australian Football Hall of Fame Legend who scored 537 goals in 98 games for Essendon between 1949 and 1954.<ref name="AFL.com.au"/>

In September 2001, the AFL decided to recognise all leading goalkickers prior to Roach's victory;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> leaders from 1955—the year after Coleman's last match—to 1980 were named retrospective Coleman Medallists, while winners prior to 1955 were named Leading Goalkicker Medallists.<ref name="the age" /> Medals were presented to winners or their surviving relatives in a ceremony at Melbourne Town Hall in July 2004.<ref name="the age" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Jack Collins, who had been a leading advocate for naming the award after Coleman<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and honouring leading goalkickers prior to 1981,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> was the only player to receive both a Coleman and a Leading Goalkicker Medal.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Upon receiving the accolades, he was "bloody angry" and complained to the AFL Commission, as he perceived the Leading Goalkicker Medal to be an inferior award.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Collingwood is the club most frequently represented by Coleman and Leading Goalkicker Medallists: its players have won on 23 occasions, six clear of Geelong's tally of 17. The majority of Collingwood's awards were contributed by Dick Lee (7) and Gordon Coventry (6), which stand as the most and second-most in league history. Coleman himself won the Leading Goalkicker Medals in all five of his complete VFL seasons to have the third-most. As of 2023, there have been five four-time medallists, five three-time medallists, and 16 dual medallists.

Recipients

File:Jack Leith.JPG

Jack Leith tied with Eddy James for the most goals (22) in 1897, the VFL's inaugural season.

File:Percy Martini 1910.jpg

Percy Martini was retrospectively awarded a Leading Goalkicker Medal for his 51-goal performance in 1910.

File:Greg Stockdale.png

CitationClass=web }}</ref> Stockdale would go on to be Essendon's leading goalkicker in three seasons between 1923 and 1928.

File:Gordon Coventry – 1934 – I.jpg

Gordon Coventry led the VFL in goalkicking six times, including five consecutive occasions from 1926 to 1930.

File:Des Fothergill late 1930s.jpg

Des Fothergill scored the most goals (63) in the 1946 VFL season.

File:John coleman essendon.jpg

John Coleman, the namesake of the medal, led the VFL in goalkicking five times in a row (1949–1953).

File:Brian Taylor 2019.3.jpg

Brian Taylor scored 100 goals in 1986, winning the season's Coleman Medal.

File:John Longmire 2017.2.jpg

John Longmire led the AFL in goalkicking for 1990 at the age of 19, making him the youngest Coleman Medallist.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

File:Lance Franklin 2017.5.jpg

Lance Franklin (pictured playing for Sydney) has won four Coleman Medals at two clubs: Template:AFL Haw (2008, 2011) and Template:AFL Syd (2014, 2017).

Note: Bold text denotes player currently plays in the AFL

Table of recipientsTemplate:Efn

Recipient	Year	Club	Goals
Template:Sortname	1897	Template:AFL Gee	22
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL Mel
Template:Sortname	1898	Template:AFL Col	31
Template:Sortname (2)	1899	Template:AFL Gee	31
Template:Sortname	1900	Template:AFL Gee	24
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL Ess
Template:Sortname	1901	Template:AFL Ess	34
Template:Sortname	1902	Template:AFL StK	30
Template:Sortname (2)	1903	Template:AFL Col	33
Template:Sortname	1904	Template:AFL Mel	39
Template:Sortname	1905	Template:AFL Col	38
Template:Sortname	1906	Template:AFL Car	45
Template:Sortname	1907	Template:AFL Col	45
Template:Sortname (2)	1908	Template:AFL Col	50
Template:Sortname (3)	1909	Template:AFL Col	55
Template:Sortname	1910	Template:AFL Gee	51
Template:Sortname	1911	Template:AFL Mel	46
Template:Sortname (2)	1912	Template:AFL Mel	56
Template:Sortname	1913	Template:AFL Uni	53
Template:Sortname (4)	1914	Template:AFL Col	57
Template:Sortname	1915	Template:AFL Fit	65
Template:Sortname (5)	1916	Template:AFL Col	46
Template:Sortname (6)	1917	Template:AFL Col	50
Template:Sortname	1918	Template:AFL Car	35
Template:Sortname (7)	1919	Template:AFL Col	47
Template:Sortname	1920	Template:AFL Ric	62
Template:Sortname	1921	Template:AFL Gee	61
Template:Sortname	1922	Template:AFL Car	54
Template:Sortname	1923	Template:AFL Ess	64
Template:Sortname	1924	Template:AFL Fit	75
Template:Sortname	1925	Template:AFL Gee	70
Template:Sortname	1926	Template:AFL Col	78
Template:Sortname (2)	1927	Template:AFL Col	88
Template:Sortname (3)	1928	Template:AFL Col	78
Template:Sortname (4)	1929	Template:AFL Col	118
Template:Sortname (5)	1930	Template:AFL Col	105
Template:Sortname	1931	Template:AFL Car	72
Template:Sortname	1932	Template:AFL Gee	109
Template:Sortname (6)	1933	Template:AFL Col	108
Template:Sortname	1934	Template:AFL SM	138
Template:Sortname (2)	1935	Template:AFL SM	97
Template:Sortname	1936	Template:AFL StK	101
Template:Sortname	1937	Template:AFL Ric	64
Template:Sortname	1938	Template:AFL Col	102
Template:Sortname (2)	1939	Template:AFL Col	98
Template:Sortname	1940	Template:AFL Ric	92
Template:Sortname	1941	Template:AFL NM	88
Template:Sortname	1942	Template:AFL SM	67
Template:Sortname	1943	Template:AFL Mel	62
Template:Sortname (2)	1944	Template:AFL Mel	87
Template:Sortname (3)	1945	Template:AFL Mel	67
Template:Sortname	1946	Template:AFL Col	63
Template:Sortname (4)	1947	Template:AFL Mel	97
Template:Sortname (2)	1948	Template:AFL Gee	86
Template:Sortname	1949	Template:AFL Ess	85
Template:Sortname (2)	1950	Template:AFL Ess	112
Template:Sortname (3)	1951	Template:AFL Ess	75
Template:Sortname (4)	1952	Template:AFL Ess	103
Template:Sortname (5)	1953	Template:AFL Ess	96
Template:Sortname	1954	Template:AFL Foo	73
Template:Sortname	1955	Template:AFL Gee	77
Template:Sortname	1956	Template:AFL StK	56
Template:Sortname (2)	1957	Template:AFL Foo	74
Template:Sortname	1958	Template:AFL Col	67
Template:Sortname	1959	Template:AFL Ess	69
Template:Sortname (2)	1960	Template:AFL Ess	67
Template:Sortname	1961	Template:AFL Car	54
Template:Sortname	1962	Template:AFL Gee	62
Template:Sortname	1963	Template:AFL Haw	69
Template:Sortname (2)	1964	Template:AFL Haw	68
Template:Sortname (3)	1965	Template:AFL Haw	56
Template:Sortname	1966	Template:AFL Ess	73
Template:Sortname (2)	1967	Template:AFL Gee	79
Template:Sortname	1968	Template:AFL Haw	125
Template:Sortname (3)	1969	Template:AFL Gee	122
Template:Sortname (2)	1970	Template:AFL Haw	146
Template:Sortname (3)	1971	Template:AFL Haw	140
Template:Sortname	1972	Template:AFL Col	130
Template:Sortname (2)	1973	Template:AFL Col	84
Template:Sortname (4)	1974	Template:AFL NM	91
Template:Sortname	1975	Template:AFL Haw	67
Template:Sortname	1976	Template:AFL Gee	99
Template:Sortname (4)	1977	Template:AFL Haw	105
Template:Sortname	1978	Template:AFL Foo	118
Template:Sortname (2)	1979	Template:AFL Foo	91
Template:Sortname	1980	Template:AFL Ric	107
Template:Sortname (2)	1981	Template:AFL Ric	86
Template:Sortname	1982	Template:AFL NM	94
Template:Sortname	1983	Template:AFL Fit	106
Template:Sortname (2)	1984	Template:AFL Fit	102
Template:Sortname	1985	Template:AFL Foo	93
Template:Sortname	1986	Template:AFL Col	100
Template:Sortname	1987	Template:AFL StK	117
Template:Sortname	1988	Template:AFL Haw	124
Template:Sortname (2)	1989	Template:AFL Haw	128
Template:Sortname	1990	Template:AFL NM	98
Template:Sortname (2)	1991	Template:AFL StK	118
Template:Sortname (3)	1992	Template:AFL Haw	139
Template:Sortname	1993	Template:AFL Gee	124
Template:Sortname (2)	1994	Template:AFL Gee	113
Template:Sortname (3)	1995	Template:AFL Gee	118
Template:Sortname (3)	1996	Template:AFL Syd	114
Template:Sortname	1997	Template:AFL Ade	81
Template:Sortname (4)	1998	Template:AFL Syd	107
Template:Sortname	1999	Template:AFL WC	88
Template:Sortname	2000	Template:AFL Ess	94
Template:Sortname (2)	2001	Template:AFL Ess	96
Template:Sortname	2002	Template:AFL Mel	75
Template:Sortname (3)	2003	Template:AFL Ess	87
Template:Sortname	2004	Template:AFL StK	90
Template:Sortname (2)	2005	Template:AFL StK	74
Template:Sortname	2006	Template:AFL Car	84
Template:Sortname	2007	Template:AFL BL	77
Template:Sortname	2008	Template:AFL Haw	102
Template:Sortname (2)	2009	Template:AFL Car	86
Template:Sortname	2010	Template:AFL Ric	78
Template:Sortname (2)	2011	Template:AFL Haw	71
Template:Sortname (2)	2012	Template:AFL Ric	65
Template:Sortname	2013	Template:AFL Haw	68
Template:Sortname (3)	2014	Template:AFL Syd	67
Template:Sortname	2015	Template:AFL WC	75
Template:Sortname (2)	2016	Template:AFL WC	80
Template:Sortname (4)	2017	Template:AFL Syd	69
Template:Sortname (3)	2018	Template:AFL Ric	65
Template:Sortname	2019	Template:AFL GWS	67
Template:Sortname	2020	Template:AFL Gee	42
Template:Sortname	2021	Template:AFL Car	58
Template:Sortname	2022	Template:AFL Car	64
Template:Sortname (2)	2023	Template:AFL Car	78
Template:Sortname	2024	Template:AFL GWS	69

Multiple recipients

File:Dick Lee.jpg

Dick Lee led the league in goalkicking a record seven times.

File:Josh Kennedy 2018.1.jpg

Josh Kennedy is one of 16 players to twice score the most goals in a season.

Table of multiple recipientsTemplate:Efn

Player	Wins	Club(s)	Years
Template:Sortname	7	Template:AFL Col	1907, 1908, 1909, 1914, 1916, 1917, 1919
Template:Sortname	6	Template:AFL Col	1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1933
Template:Sortname	5	Template:AFL Ess	1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953
Template:Sortname	4	Template:AFL Mel	1943, 1944, 1945, 1947
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL Gee/Template:AFL NM	1962, 1967, 1969, 1974
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL Haw	1968, 1970, 1971, 1977
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL StK/Template:AFL Syd	1987, 1991, 1996, 1998
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL Haw/Template:AFL Syd	2008, 2011, 2014, 2017
Template:Sortname	3	Template:AFL Haw	1963, 1964, 1965
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL Haw	1988, 1989, 1992
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL Gee	1993, 1994, 1995
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL Ess	2000, 2001, 2003
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL Ric	2010, 2012, 2018
Template:Sortname	2	Template:AFL Gee	1897, 1899
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL Gee/Template:AFL Col	1900, 1903
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL Mel	1911, 1912
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL SM	1934, 1935
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL Col	1938, 1939
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL SM/Template:AFL Gee	1942, 1948
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL Foo	1954, 1957
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL Ess	1959, 1960
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL Col	1972, 1973
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL Foo	1978, 1979
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL Ric	1980, 1981
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL Fit	1983, 1984
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL StK	2004, 2005
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL Car	2006, 2009
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL WC	2015, 2016
Template:Sortname		Template:AFL Car	2022, 2023

Club totals

File:Jack Riewoldt 03.03.19.jpg

Jack Riewoldt has won three of Richmond's eight Coleman Medals / league Leading Goalkicker Awards.

File:Jonathan Brown (cropped).jpg

Jonathan Brown won Template:AFL BL2's only Coleman Medal in 2007, kicking 77 goals.

File:Charlie Curnow 2017.2.jpg

Charlie Curnow won two consecutive Coleman Medals in 2022 and 2023. Had he won the award for a third year—which he was close to achieving by having the second-highest average for goals per game—he would have been the first since Gary Ablett Sr. to do so.

Table key

†	Club no longer participates in the AFLTemplate:Efn
LG	Number of Leading Goalkicker Medals (1897–1954)
C'man	Number of Coleman Medals (1955–present)

Table of club totalsTemplate:Efn

Club	Medals			Years
	LG	C'man	Total
Template:AFL Col	19	4	23	1898, 1903, 1905, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1914, 1916, 1917, 1919, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1933, 1938, 1939, 1946, 1958, 1972, 1973, 1986
Template:AFL Gee	8	9	17	1897, 1899, 1900, 1910, 1921, 1925, 1932, 1948, 1955, 1962, 1967, 1969, 1976, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2020
Template:AFL Ess	8	6	14	1900, 1901, 1923, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1959, 1960, 1966, 2000, 2001, 2003
Template:AFL Haw	0	14	14	1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1977, 1988, 1989, 1992, 2008, 2011, 2013
Template:AFL Car	4	6	10	1906, 1918, 1922, 1931, 1961, 2006, 2009, 2021, 2022, 2023
Template:AFL Mel	8	1	9	1897, 1904, 1911, 1912, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1947, 2002
Template:AFL Ric	3	5	8	1920, 1937, 1940, 1980, 1981, 2010, 2012, 2018
Template:AFL SydTemplate:Efn	3	4	7	1934, 1935, 1942, 1996, 1998, 2014, 2017
Template:AFL StK	2	5	7	1902, 1936, 1956, 1987, 1991, 2004, 2005
Template:AFL WBTemplate:Efn	1	4	5	1954, 1957, 1978, 1979, 1985
Template:AFL Fit†	2	2	4	1915, 1924, 1983, 1984
Template:AFL NM	1	3	4	1941, 1974, 1982, 1990
Template:AFL WC	—	3	3	1999, 2015, 2016
Template:AFL Ade	—	1	1	1997
Template:AFL BL	—	1	1	2007
Template:AFL GWS	—	2	2	2019, 2024
Template:AFL Uni†	1	—	1	1913
Template:AFL Fre	—	0	0	—
Template:AFL GC	—	0	0	—
Template:AFL PA	—	0	0	—
Template:AFL BB†	—	—	—	—

See also

• AFL Women's leading goalkicker
• Ken Farmer Medal – equivalent award in the South Australian National Football League
• Jim 'Frosty' Miller Medal – equivalent award in the Victorian Football League
• Bernie Naylor Medal – equivalent award in the West Australian Football League