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 initiated in 1970 by the league after Alex Jesaulenko's famous mark.

[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 2007 Goal of the Year was won by Matthew Lloyd of the Essendon Football Club. Lloyd, in the goal square and between Carlton defenders Jarrad Waite and Michael Jamison, spilled an overhead mark. He then bent over, picked up the ball, dropped it behind himself, and backheeled the ball through for a goal from five metres out. The three quarter time siren blew immediately afterwards. For the first time in the award's history, the selection was widely criticized, with commentators surprised that a fluke scramble was chosen over execution skills.[1]

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
2007 Matthew Lloyd Essendon Football Club Matthew Lloyd back-heeled the goal from three metres.
2006 Eddie Betts Carlton Blues Smothered Tarkyn Lockyer's handball, gathered the ball and, with two opposition player surrounding him, kicked a banana from the boundary and kicked truly.[2] (Video:[3])
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.[4]
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.[5] (Video:[6])
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 on his non-preferred left boot, along the boundary line while turning around to the left of the goals against Carlton at the Gabba in round 14.
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. (Video:[7])
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 Ben Cousins West Coast Eagles Peter Matera gathered ball in centre square, handballs to Cousins, handball back to Matera and again back to Cousins who kicks the goal from about 35m out. (Video:[8])
1998 Jeff Farmer Melbourne Football Club Ran the length of the ground, giving off 2 return handballs, to then receive the ball back, evade multiple opposition players and kick a goal from 45 meters out on the boundary line.
1997 Austinn Jones St. Kilda Football Club Ran hard and took several bounces and snapped a spectacular goal in the 1997 AFL Grand Final
1996 Winston Abraham Fremantle Football Club
1995 Tony Modra Adelaide Crows Tony Modra beat Richmond Full back Stuart Wigney (a former Crows player in 1993-94) 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 Ran and bounced several times for a controversial goal in the 1993 Grand Final.
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 Peter Daicos Collingwood Football Club Baulk & snap from the pocket v Richmond at Victoria Park
1990 Michael Mitchell¹ Richmond Football Club Gathered the ball in his own defensive area and set off on a blistering 70-metre run through the centre of the Sydney Cricket Ground, escaping a number of would-be tacklers and taking seven bounces before kicking truly from 35 metres out.
1989 Gary Ablett Geelong Football Club Dropped a contested mark in the middle of the ground before gathering the loose ball, running into the forward line and snapping truly from 50m vs Collingwood (MCG)
1988 Matthew Larkin North Melbourne Spun around 3 players, snapping miraculosly from the pocket
1987  ?  ?
1986 Jim Krakouer North Melbourne Football Club Grabbed ball on the boundary line and ran around Frank Dunell before kicking a sensational goal from the boundary with his left foot.
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 attempted 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 Geoff Raines Richmond
1983 Ken Hunter Carlton Blues Did something amazing.
1982 Mick Conlan Fitzroy Football Club Marked on the wing, ran about 50 metres, baulked 2 tackles before kicking a goal from 60 metres.
1981 Peter Bosustow¹ Carlton Football Club Smothered his Geelong opponent's attempted clearing kick 20m around in the right forward pocket at VFL Park, before standing, gathering and snapping a high goal over his right shoulder. Impressed the Moran family.
1980 Michael Turner Geelong 3 bounces, 1 baulk from the wing and a shot from 50
1979  ?  ?
1978 Phil Baker North Melbourne
1977 Phil Manassa Collingwood Football Club Manassa kicked a goal on the run from the half back flank in the 1977 Grand Final replay against North Melbourne
1976 Keith Greg North Melbourne
1975
1974  ?  ?
1973  ?  ?
1972  ?  ?
1971  ?  ?
1970 Alex Jesaulenko Carlton Blues

¹ Player also won Mark of the Year for the same year

[edit] External links


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