New Medal to Honor Ron Barassi at Grand Final

The Australian Football League is set to honor legendary player Ron Barassi with a new medal to be presented to the premiership captain on Grand Final Day.

Ron Barassi unfortunately passed away during the 2023 finals series at the age of 87. His journey in Australian Rules Football has spanned over 60 years, and he is recognized as one of the sport’s most influential figures.

According to the Herald Sun, the league has been working alongside Barassi’s family to develop a proposal that pays tribute to the former Melbourne and Carlton player. If approved by the commission, the award, which features a prototype medal bearing Barassi’s likeness, could be introduced as early as this year’s grand final scheduled for September 28th at the MCG.

This would mean that the premiership captain this year would receive both a premiership medal and the inaugural Ron Barassi medal, in addition to the Norm Smith medal, which is awarded to the player judged best on ground, and the Jock McHale medal, which is given to the winning coach.

Barassi’s storied history in the game began in 1953 when the Melbourne Football Club signed him from the Preston Scouts. Throughout his career, he played 204 games and scored 295 goals, becoming a six-time premiership player under the esteemed coach Norm Smith.

Barassi also received two Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott medals in 1961 and 1964 and captained the Melbourne Football Club from 1960 to 1964. He was eventually named in the Demons Team of the Century and was inducted into the Hall of Fame with legend status.

In 1965, Barassi joined Carlton as a player-coach, where he further developed his mentoring skills for future generations. He won two additional premierships in 1968 and 1970, with the latter victory being a remarkable comeback against Collingwood, where Carlton rallied from a 44-point deficit in the second half.

Barassi concluded his playing career with a total of 254 games and 330 goals. He then transitioned to coaching, leading North Melbourne to two premierships in 1975 and 1977 and later returning to Melbourne as head coach until 1985.

Nearly a decade later, he returned to coaching with Sydney, which marked a significant move as the club aimed to grow its presence in a rugby league-dominated city. Barassi achieved numerous accolades during his 515 matches across four clubs, contributing significantly to the sport’s popularity.

In a recent statement, fellow legendary coach Michael Malthouse suggested that renaming the premiership cup as the Ron Barassi Cup would be the most fitting tribute. He expressed that Barassi is a name every club aspires to honor, stressing the impact Barassi has had on Australian Rules Football.