Sydney Swans greats Adam Goodes and Michael O’Loughlin are honoured with a medal named in their honour presented to the best on ground at Marn Grook at the SCG.
This Sunday, when Sydney faces Carlton at the SCG, a Goodes-O’Loughlin Medal will be awarded to the player judged best afield in a tribute to two of the greatest Indigenous players to have graced the AFL arena.
Formally announced in 2016, four Swans players have won the Goodes-O’Loughlin Medal with Tom Mitchell (2016), Lance Franklin (2017), Isaac Heeney (2018) and Sam Reid (2019) winning the award. In 2020, Fremantle defender Luke Ryan claimed the medal, the first time an opposition has been awarded the medal.
It was a no-brainer to name the medal in honour of the two 300-game Indigenous premiership champions. They are iconic representatives of Indigenous people and committed to stamp out racism through the Goodes-O’Loughlin (GO) Foundation.
The design of the medal was adapted from an artwork by Goodes’ mother Lisa Sansbury. It features striking colours and shapes representing the estuaries surrounding Sydney Harbour and was approved by the pair.
Goodes-O’Loughlin Medal winners
2016: Tom Michell
2017: Lance Franklin
2018: Isaac Heeney
2019: Sam Reid
2020: Luke Ryan (Fremantle)
The first recipient of the now treasured medal was the Swans’ Tom Mitchell in Round 10 2016, in a Friday night game against North Melbourne at the SCG. He had 41 possessions, a goal, 10 tackles, five clearances and two goal assists. North sat top of the ladder at the time, two games clear, but were beaten by 26-points by a Swans side that went all the way to the grand final.
The second winner of the Goodes-O’Loughlin Medal was Lance Franklin. It was another Friday night SCG game against Hawthorn in Round 10 2017. In his 75th game for the Swans ‘Buddy’ kicked five goals against his former club.
In Round 11 2018, again on a Friday night, Sydney beat Carlton by 30-points at the SCG. In his 69th game Isaac Heeney had 22 possessions and kicked three goals to win the Goodes-O’Loughlin Medal from teammate Callum Sinclair (22 possessions, two goals, 26 hit-outs and four contested marks).
Sam Reid won the medal in Round 10 2019, when the Swans lost by seven points to Collingwood in a Friday night thriller at the SCG. He kicked an equal career-best six goals and also picked up two Brownlow votes as Pies ruckman Brodie Grundy claimed three votes with his 18 possessions and 64 hit-outs.
Last year the Goodes-O’Loughlin Medal went to a member of the opposition side for the first time. Fremantle defender Luke Ryan had 26 possessions in the Dockers’ 31-point win at Perth Stadium in Round 13 of a Covid impacted season.
Adam Goodes retired at the end of the 2015 season after 372 games in the red and white. His decorated career including two Brownlow Medals, two AFL premierships (2005 and 2012), three Bob Skilton Medals, 1999 AFL Rising Star award, being named in the Indigenous Team of the Century and four All Australian accolades. Goodes was named Australian of the Year in 2014.
Michael O’Loughlin played 303 games at the Swans from 1995-2009. A member of the Swans’ 2005 premiership team, O’Loughlin won the Swans’ best and fairest award in 1998, is a dual All-Australian and was named in the Indigenous Team of the Century. In 2015 he was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
Post football, Michael embarked on a new chapter. Michael is Co-Founder of the GO Foundation which empowers indigenous youth through education and in 2015 Michael established CMC Indigenous Services, now ARA Indigenous Services. Michael was elected to the Sydney Swans Board in 2021.
The Goodes-O’Loughlin (GO) Foundation is the official match-day partner for Sir Doug Nicholls Round. Founded in 2009, the GO Foundation aims to provide opportunities for a brighter future for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders by providing full scholarships to quality schools.
