Douglas Wilkie Medal

The Douglas Wilkie Medal is an award presented to those who do the least for Australian rules football, in the best and fairest manner. An accolade presented by the Anti-Football League, it is named after Douglas Wilkie, a Sun News-Pictorial columnist who wrote for the paper during the years 1946–1986. It was Douglas Wilkie who first suggested the notion of an Anti-Football League, which was brought into being by Keith Dunstan. The League exists as a response to the overwhelming obsession of football by the Melbourne public.

The award is the League's answer to the Australian Football League's Brownlow Medal, an honour bestowed on footballers who throughout the season play in a skilled and sportsmanlike fashion.

Following the suggestion of Wilkie's fellow writer Cyril Pearl, who wished to burn a football to express his disaffection for the game, the winner must destroy a football in a unique and creative manner on receiving their medal.[1]

Previous winners

Barry Humphries receives his 'Wilkie' from Douglas Wilkie in 1975. In 1986 he would receive the award again as alter-ego Sir Les Patterson.

References

  1. "Douglas Wilkie Medal". The Anti-Football League. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  2. "Lindsay Thompson". The Telegraph. Retrieved 25 September 2011.