The Brownlow Medal

At the conclusion of every season, the Australian Football League (AFL) awards the Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as The Brownlow Medal. The medal is awarded to the player or players adjudged by the field umpires to have been the fairest and best for that season.

The award is named after and is in honour of Charles Brownlow. Brownlow was involved in football in many capacities as a player, captain, coach and administrator from the 1870s to the early 1920s. He was revered and admired by those who knew him because of his gentlemanly demeanour, fine leadership, sincerity, loyalty, fairness and clarity of thinking. As a result, the Brownlow Medal - first instituted in 1924 - is the most prestigious award attainable to an Australian Football League player.

Shane Woewodin was Melbourne's sixth Brownlow Medallist.

Shane Woewodin

Date Of Birth - 12 July 1976
Playing Height - 185 cm
Playing Weight – 86 kg
Recruited From - East Fremantle

Guernsey No. 22

Melbourne – 1997 – 2002
138 games, 63 goals
Brownlow Medal 2000
Best and Fairest 2000
Played 107 consecutive games from senior debut
(Round One, 1997 to Round 13, 2001 inclusive)

Overlooked in two drafts, then given a run in the 1997 pre-season without any guarantee of being drafted, Woewodin’s persistence and tenacity paid off. The last player placed on Melbourne’s list before the 1997 season, Woewodin made his senior debut in Round One. He quickly became an integral part of the midfield ‘engine room’, which was such a vital part of the side’s finals campaigns in 1998 and 2000.

Woewodin’s best year at Melbourne was undoubtedly 2000. This season saw both the Club and Woewodin reach the heights with a Grand Final appearance, the Brownlow – and the Best and Fairest – after just missing out to David Schwarz in 1999. Woewodin also completed the year in style, representing Australia against Ireland in the International Rules Series in Dublin.