Goal of the Year (Australia)
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The Goal of the Year is a competition for the best goals kicked in the VFL/AFL. It is run in conjunction with the Mark of the Year competition and is currently sponsored by Toyota.
The concept was incepted in 1970 by the league after Alex Jesaulenko's famous mark.
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[edit] Selection Process
Each week, three of the best goals of the round (including the finals) are selected as nominees. A panel of AFL selectors choose the winning goal of the round.
For the first time in 2006, the general public are able to vote for nominated marks via the AFL's website. The results of the public voting are combined with the panel's votes. Any one of the goals of the round is able to win the official Goal of the Year.
The overall winner is selected from the 25 weekly winners (twenty-two rounds and the first three weeks of the finals) by the AFL All Australian selection committee; the public is not given a say in the final outcome. The winner receives the Phil Manassa Medal, a replica of the perpetual Toyota AFL Goal of the Year Trophy, use of a Toyota Aurion for twelve months, and $10,000 for their grassroots football club. The winner will be announced in Grand Final day.
Goal of the Year is generally awarded to a player who creates and scores a difficult goal in play; it has never been, and is unlikely to ever be, awarded to a goal kicked from a set shot. Historically, it has been the quality of the creation of the goal which determines the winner, rather than the difficulty of the shot itself. As such, simply kicking a goal from the boundary line will not guarantee a player Goal of the Year, but if they have roved the ball cleanly off a pack (like Jason Akermanis in 2002) or won the ball by stealing or smothering it from an opponent (like Peter Bosustow in 1981), then they will generally come into Goal of the Year calculations. Players are also often rewarded for orchestrating a long run down the field which ends with a big goal on the run: Daniel Kerr in 2003 and Michael McGuane in 1994 are memorable examples.
The 2006 Goal of the Year was won by Eddie Betts of the Carlton Football Club. Betts smothered an attempted clearing kick from Collingwood's Tarkyn Lockyer at full arm-stretch towards the boundary line before chasing the ball down, regathering it just before it went out of bounds, steadying himself, and scoring the goal unassisted from a tight angle, all within approximately two seconds.
Many of the best goals in the VFL/AFL were featured in a VHS/DVD named Golden Goals.
[edit] History of the Goal of the Year
VFL/AFL Goal of the Year Winners
| Year | Winner | Team | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Eddie Betts | Carlton Blues | Smothered Tarkyn Lockyer's attempted clearing kick, ran to gather the ball just before it went out of bounds, and steadied himself to score with a drop punt from around 20m on a difficult angle. |
| 2005 | Chris Judd | West Coast Eagles | Burst from a boundary throw in on the half forward flank, spun out of a tackle and kicked a goal from about 40 metres out at Subiaco |
| 2004 | Daniel Wells | Kangaroos Football Club | Described as "Jackie Chan in mid-air", Wells leapt into the air, grabbed the ball out of the ruck and scissor-kicked in one motion in the goalsquare at Subiaco - the only Goal of the Year which will ever be kicked from 7m out directly in front. |
| 2003 | Daniel Kerr | West Coast Eagles | Received the football at half-back, before taking 5 bounces and finishing from 48m out, late in a famous Derby against Fremantle. |
| 2002 | Jason Akermanis | Brisbane Lions | A snap shot from 55m out along the boundary line while turning around to the left of the goals against Carlton at the Gabba. |
| 2001 | Mark Merenda | West Coast Eagles | Paddled the ball from outside 50 along the boundary line towards goal and snapped it through from the pocket, against St. Kilda at the Telstra Dome |
| 2000 | Kingsley Hunter | Western Bulldogs | Running from the defensive 50 he keep going laid a handball of to Scott Wynd received it back, lined up from forward 50 and slotted it home (Was awarded on Rex Hunt's Footy Show) |
| 1999 | ? | ? | |
| 1998 | Jeff Farmer | Melbourne Football Club | |
| 1997 | ? | ? | |
| 1996 | Winston Abraham | Fremantle Dockers | |
| 1995 | Tony Modra | Adelaide Crows | Tony Modra beat Richmond Full back Stuart Wigney to a loose ball after starting 30m behind then from 35m out hard on the boundary snapped a beautiful goal |
| 1994 | Mick McGuane | Collingwood Football Club | In one of the most famous of all time, oft compared to Phil Manassa's famous Grand Final run, McGuane had a total of 7 bounces from the centre square, baulking two tackle attempts before kicking truly from 30m at the MCG against Carlton |
| 1993 | Michael Long | Essendon Football Club | |
| 1992 | Darryl White | Brisbane Bears | Followed up a short kick that didn't travel to the leading forward by kicking a ripper at Carrara from 30m |
| 1991 | ? | ? | |
| 1990 | Michael Mitchell¹ | Richmond Football Club | |
| 1989 | ? | ? | |
| 1988 | ? | ? | |
| 1987 | ? | ? | |
| 1986 | ? | ? | |
| 1985 | Andrew Bews | Geelong Football Club | A long run at Kardinia Park in which Bews baulked two tackles and bounced three times; 40m out from goal, Bews attemped to touch the ball on the ground, fumbled and overran the ball before changing direction, recovering the ball and eventually slotting the goal from 30m. |
| 1984 | ? | ? | |
| 1983 | ? | ? | |
| 1982 | ? | ? | |
| 1981 | Peter Bosustow¹ | Carlton Football Club | Smothered his Geelong opponent's attemped clearing kick 20m around in the right forward pocket at VFL Park, before standing, gathering and snapping a high goal over his right shoulder. |
| 1980 | ? | ? | |
| 1979 | ? | ? | |
| 1978 | ? | ? | |
| 1977 | ? | ? | |
| 1976 | ? | ? | |
| 1975 | ? | ? | |
| 1974 | ? | ? | |
| 1973 | ? | ? | |
| 1972 | ? | ? | |
| 1972 | ? | ? | |
| 1970 | ? | ? |
¹ Player also won Mark of the Year for the same year
