The annual Mark of the Year competition (currently known as the Hungry Jack's AFL Mark of the Year) is a sporting award that celebrates each season's best mark. A mark is the action of a player cleanly catching a kicked ball that has travelled more than 15 metres (49 ft) without the ball hitting the ground.
Originally known as the VFL Mark of the Year and selected by a panel of football experts on Network Seven's "World of Sport" program, it was renamed to the AFL Mark of the Year following the competition's renaming in 1990. Since 2001 it has been run by the AFL itself and has been selected by a public vote. It is only open to players within the AFL and applies to marks taken during official AFL-season matches. Several other Australian rules football leagues followed with their own versions of the Mark of the Year competition.
The iconic VFL footballer, Alex Jesaulenko, unofficially won the first award for a spectacular mark during the 1970 VFL Grand Final – a mark that has been frequently called The Mark of the Century.
Thirty-two players have won the competition; of those, five have won multiple times and six are still active in the AFL. Peter Knights (Hawthorn) and Tony Modra (Adelaide/Fremantle) have won the most Mark of the Year awards, with three each.
The competition is run in conjunction with the Goal of the Year competition, which recognizes the best particular goal kicked during an AFL season. Two players have managed to win both the Mark of the Year and Goal of the Year competitions within a single season: Michael Mitchell and Peter Bosustow.
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Known officially as the Hungry Jack's AFL Mark of the Year,[1][2] the competition is only open to players belonging to the AFL (Australian rules football's highest league).[3][4] Those successfully chosen to receive the title win an assortment of awards, including a $5,000 prize for their grassroots (junior) club, the use of a Toyota Kluger for 12 months and the Alex Jesaulenko Medal.[2][3][5][6]
The current Victorian Football League (formerly known as the Victorian Football Association) also runs a similar competition; however, the winners are only selected from the few games that are televised each year on ABC2. Many other amateur Australian rules football leagues also run an equivalent competition, but they often rely on less comprehensive television footage; some amateur leagues rely on spectators who submit photos and amateur video recordings to the league[7] or to television shows such as the AFL Footy Show.[8][9]
Chris Tarrant's mark in Round 11, 2001 has been used as the basis of the silhouette for the Mark of the Year logo, despite its losing the Mark of the Year to Gary Moorcroft's round 14 mark.[2] Many of the best marks in the VFL/AFL were featured in a VHS/DVD named Miracle Marks.[10]
The competition was initiated following Alex Jesaulenko's mark over Graeme "Jerker" Jenkin in the 1970 (Victorian Football League) Grand Final and later recognised officially as the Mark of the Year; the medal awarded to the winner now bears his name.[3][4][11] During the 1970s and early 1980s, the award was decided by a panel of football experts on Network Seven's "World of Sport" program and during the 1980s and 1990s, the winning mark was determined by selected football journalists and experts.[3] With minor modifications, the current selection process was first used in the 1998 season.[7][12]
In 1990, the competition (originally known as the VFL Mark of the Year) was renamed to the AFL Mark of the Year, following the inception of the Australian Football league.[3][13][14] The incumbent winner for the 2010 AFL season is Liam Jurrah of the Melbourne Football Club, for a spectacular mark against the Port Adelaide Football Club in Round 21.
After each round of the regular AFL season, three "Mark of the Week" nominations are determined by a panel of football experts. The general public can then vote for a weekly winner on the AFL website.[1][6]
Following the conclusion of the season, the title is given to a single mark, which is chosen by the AFL All Australian selection committee; the public is not given an opinion in the final outcome. The selection committee is not restricted to choosing a winner from the Mark of the Week winners; indeed, in 2010, the two favourites both came in Round 21, and whereas the public voted Brendon Goddard as Mark of the Week, the selection panel named Jurrah as Mark of the Year. The winner is announced during Grand Final week.[6]
AFL Mark of the Year Winners
| * | Player is still active in the AFL |
| # | Player also won Goal of the year for the same year |
| ^ | Player has won Mark of the Year multiple times |
| Year | Winner | Team | Match, Round, Ground | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Alex Jesaulenko | Carlton | Carlton vs Collingwood, Grand Final day, Melbourne Cricket Ground | Spectacular mark over Graeme Jenkin during Grand Final day.[5][11][15] |
| 1971 | Alex Ruscuklic | Fitzroy | Fitzroy vs Carlton, Round 10, Princes Park | "High Flyer" by centre-half forward Alex Ruscuklic.[3] |
| 1972 | Peter Knights^ | Hawthorn | Hawthorn vs Collingwood, Round 17, Glenferrie Oval | Halfback Peter Knights throws a screamer against Collingwood.[3] |
| 1973 | Alan Atkinson | Collingwood | Collingwood vs Hawthorn, Round 21, Waverley Park | Atkinson takes "Mark of the Year" over Leon Rice on the wing.[3] |
| 1974 | Billy Picken^ | Collingwood | Collingwood vs Richmond, Round 9, Melbourne Cricket Ground | Billy Picken takes a screamer during the John Greening comeback game. |
| 1975 | Peter Knights^ | Hawthorn | Hawthorn vs Carlton, Round 17, Princes Park | Juggling mark before Carlton player swung his leg, causing Knights to fall on to his chest.[3] |
| 1976 | Billy Picken^ | Collingwood | Collingwood vs St. Kilda, Round 16, Victoria Park | Overhead mark by Billy Picken against St. Kilda. |
| 1977 | Peter Knights^ | Hawthorn | Collingwood vs Hawthorn, Round 9, Princes Park | Chest mark over the pack. |
| 1978 | Phil Baker | North Melbourne | Hawthorn vs North Melbourne, Grand Final day, Melbourne Cricket Ground | High mark above Hawks defenders Kelvin Moore and Ian Paton in the 1978 Grand final.[16] |
| 1979 | Michael Roach | Richmond | Richmond vs Hawthorn, Round 5, Melbourne Cricket Ground | Chest mark over Kelvin Moore Terry Moore and Ian Paton. |
| 1980 | Graham Teasdale | South Melbourne | South Melbourne vs Collingwood, Round 7, Lake Oval[17] | Graham Teasdale takes a "Marvellous Mark" over Collingwoods Billy Picken.[3] |
| 1981 | Peter Bosustow# | Carlton | Carlton vs Geelong, Round 18, Princes Park | Chest mark over the pack. |
| 1982 | Geoff Raines | Richmond | Richmond vs Fitzroy, Round 2, Waverley Park | Leaped high above his Fitzroy opponent before falling forward with the ball firmly in his grasp.[3][18] |
| 1983 | Ken Hunter | Carlton | Carlton vs North Melbourne, Round 21, Princes Park | Overhead mark running into a pack. |
| 1984 | Denis Banks | Collingwood | Footscray vs Collingwood, Round 10, Western Oval | Mark running with the flight of the ball. |
| 1985 | Gary Ablett, Sr.^ | Geelong | Geelong vs North Melbourne, Round 5, Kardinia Park | Specky over the pack. |
| 1986 | Gary Buckenara | Hawthorn | Hawthorn vs Carlton, Round 1, Waverley Park[19] | A towering "high flyer" over two Carlton players.[3] |
| 1987 | Warwick Capper | Sydney | Sydney vs Hawthorn, Qualifying Final, Waverley Park[20] | Used Chris Langford as a stepladder to take the ball while lying on his side.[21] |
| 1988 | Stephen Silvagni | Carlton | Collingwood vs Carlton, Round 14, Melbourne Cricket Ground | Chest mark with long hangtime over Craig Starcevich. |
| 1989 | Alastair Lynch | Fitzroy | Fitzroy vs North Melbourne, Round 16, Melbourne Cricket Ground | Juggling mark over the pack. |
| 1990 | Michael Mitchell# | Richmond | Richmond vs Fitzroy, Round 5, Melbourne Cricket Ground | A juggled mark against his Fitzroy opponent. |
| 1991 | Brett Allison | North Melbourne | North Melbourne vs Collingwood, Round 11, Melbourne Cricket Ground | Specky over Gavin Crosisca. |
| 1992 | Nicky Winmar | St Kilda | West Coast vs St. Kilda, Round 3, Subiaco Oval | A "breathtaking" mark at Subiaco Oval.[22] |
| 1993 | Tony Modra^ | Adelaide | Adelaide vs North Melbourne, Round 8, Football Park | Spectacular mark over Ian Fairley and Glenn Archer of North Melbourne. Adelaide came from behind to record a 2 point win.[23] |
| 1994 | Gary Ablett, Sr.^ | Geelong | Collingwood vs Geelong, Round 7, Melbourne Cricket Ground | Took a magnificent leap, basically sitting in Magpie Gary Pert's arms and took a one-handed juggling mark.[24] |
| 1995 | Shaun Smith | Melbourne | Brisbane vs Melbourne, Round 22, Brisbane Cricket Ground | "High Leap" over teammate Garry Lyon. |
| 1996 | Ben Hart | Adelaide | Adelaide vs St. Kilda, Round 8, Football Park | Intercepted Peter Everitt's inside 50 entry by jumping and lying on his back 3m into the air, at the Northern End of Football Park against St Kilda.[25] |
| 1997 | Tony Modra^ | Adelaide | Adelaide vs North Melbourne, Round 17, Football Park | Against North Melbourne, Modra rode high on Mick Martyn's shoulders facing towards the crowd with the ball coming in from behind. Turned in midair and grabbed the ball.[23] |
| 1998 | Winston Abraham | North Melbourne | North Melbourne vs Port Adelaide, Round 18, Manuka Oval | An overhead mark over Port's Brendon Lade.[26] |
| 1999 | Matthew Lappin | Carlton | Carlton vs Essendon, Round 1, Melbourne Cricket Ground | A courageous overhead mark over the pack in the opening match of the season over Judd Lalich.[26] |
| 2000 | Tony Modra^ | Fremantle | Fremantle vs Geelong, Round 1, Subiaco Oval | From within a pack, Tony Modra rose on the back of his opponent to take a spectacular, from the kick by team mate Ashley Prescott.[26] |
| 2001 | Gary Moorcroft | Essendon | Essendon vs Western Bulldogs, Round 14, Telstra Dome | An overhead mark at full stretch after leaping onto and then springing a further metre into the air off Brad Johnson.[27] |
| 2002 | Jonathan Brown* | Brisbane | Hawthorn vs Brisbane, Round 17, Melbourne Cricket Ground | A courageous chest mark running with the flight of the ball, launching into the oncoming Jade Rawlings.[28] |
| 2003 | Chris Tarrant* | Collingwood | Collingwood vs Geelong, Round 18, Telstra Dome | A towering chest mark over Cat defenders Matthew Scarlett and Max Rooke.[29] |
| 2004 | Ashley Sampi | West Coast Eagles | West Coast vs Melbourne, Round 7, Melbourne Cricket Ground | Rose high with a chest mark over Paul Wheatley and Adem Yze, landing catlike on his feet.[30] |
| 2005 | Luke McPharlin* | Fremantle | Fremantle vs West Coast, Round 3, Subiaco Oval | A chest mark at knee height on the shoulders of an opponent in a pack of players. |
| 2006 | Brad Ottens* | Geelong | Geelong vs Sydney, Round 5, Telstra Stadium | A high flying mark in a pack over Darren Jolly who cushioned Ottens' fall causing additional 'hang-time'.[31] |
| 2007 | Michael Newton* | Melbourne | Melbourne vs Kangaroos, Round 17, Telstra Dome | High leap in Melbourne's forward fifty over David Neitz and Kangaroos defenders Glenn Archer and Leigh Brown.[32] |
| 2008 | Matthew Lloyd | Essendon | Essendon vs Melbourne, Round 18, Melbourne Cricket Ground | A screamer, over a pack of five players late in the third quarter.[33] |
| 2009 | Brett Burton | Adelaide | Carlton vs Adelaide, Round 22, Etihad Stadium | Jumped early on a pack consisting of team mate Kurt Tippett and Carlton's Ruckman Matthew Kreuzer and received an extra lift off of Carlton backman Bret Thornton to take the mark on his chest. Commentators Dwayne Russell and Jason Dunstall dubbed it one of the marks of the century.[34] |
| 2010 | Liam Jurrah* | Melbourne | Port Adelaide vs Melbourne, Round 21, AAMI Stadium | Huge leap over a contest between Melbourne's Jack Watts and Port Adelaide's Nick Salter.[35] |
| 2011 | Andrew Krakouer* | Collingwood | Collingwood vs Adelaide, Round 9, Etihad Stadium | Very high leap on the shoulders of Adelaide's Luke Thompson.[36][37] |
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