Showdown Medal

---

title: "Showdown Medal" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["adelaide-football-club", "port-adelaide-football-club", "australian-football-league-awards", "awards-established-in-2000", "2000-establishments-in-australia"] description: "Annual Australian rules football award" topic_path: "sports" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Showdown_Medal" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Annual Australian rules football award ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Abbey_Dowrick_wearing_her_Showdown_Medal_(2025_Adelaide_vs._Port_Adelaide).jpg" caption="[[Abbey Dowrick]] wearing her Showdown Medal in 2025"] ::

The Showdown Medal is the medal awarded to the player adjudged best on ground in the Showdown AFL match between Adelaide and Port Adelaide. It is thus similar to the Glendinning–Allan Medal awarded in Western Derby games. However, no medal is awarded if the teams meet in a final, as they did in 2005.

The Showdown Medal was first presented in Showdown VII, Round 7, 2000, although in 2025 retrospective Showdown Medals were awarded by the clubs to players adjudged best on ground in the six Showdowns before the first medal was awarded. It also was formerly known as the "West End Medal", but is currently sponsored by Balfours.

For Showdown 39 in Round 16, 2015, the Showdown Medal was named the Phillip Walsh Medal, after the late Adelaide coach Phil Walsh.

AFL

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Robbie_Gray_2017.jpg" caption="[[Robbie Gray]] holds the record for the most Showdown Medals, with five."] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/Sam_Jacobs_24.02.17.jpg" caption="Sam Jacobs]] is one of two Crows to win the Medal on three occasions."] ::

::data[format=table]

Year	Round	Winner	Ref
1997	4	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]] Darren Mead
19	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]] Brett James
1998	4	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]] Adam Kingsley
19	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]
1999	6	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]] Mark Bickley
21	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]]
2000	7	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]] (2)
22	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]]
2001	3	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]] (2)
18	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]] (3)
2002	5	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]]
20	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]] (4)
2003	5	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]] **
22	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]]
2004	7	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]] (3)
22	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]]
2005	3	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]] (4)
20	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]
[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]] **
2006	6	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]
21	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]]
2007	3	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]
18	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]] (2)
2008	3	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]
16	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]]
2009	6	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]]
17	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]
2010	6	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]]
17	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]]
2011	4	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]]
19	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]
2012	5	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]
15	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]
2013	3	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]]
19	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]]
2014	2	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]]
15	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]] (2)
2015	5	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]] (2)
16	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]
2016	2	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]
22	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]
2017	3	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]
20	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]] (3)
2018	8	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]] (3)
20	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]] ** (4)
2019	8	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]
16	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]] (5)
2020	2	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]] (2)
2021	8	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]] (3)
21	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]]
2022	3	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]
23	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]]
2023	3	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]] (2)
20	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]
2024	8	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]
23	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]]
2025	9	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]] ** (2)
20	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]
::

Italics denotes winner was on the losing team.

Retrospective best on ground

As the Showdown Medal was only introduced in 2000, six Showdowns were played without a medal being awarded. In 2019, Michelangelo Rucci, football writer for The Adelaide Advertiser, advocated for a combination of Brownlow Medal, Club Champion voting, and Media votes to determine the selection for retroactively awarded Showdown Medals. This potential for retrospective Showdown Medals being awarded was enhanced by the Western Derby allocating retrospective medals in 2018. Another Showdown where a medal was not awarded to the player adjudged best afield was the 2005 Semi-Final. The official Adelaide website, afc.com.au, lists Simon Goodwin as their best player in the 2005 Showdown Final with 3 goals and 22 disposals at 91% disposal efficiency to his name.

::data[format=table title="Michelangelo Rucci's 'Best on Ground' before Showdown Medal"]

Match	Year	Combined	Winning club	Brownlow	Club B&F	Merv Agars Medal	1	2	3	4	5	6
1997	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]]	Port Adelaide
2: Shayne Breuer
1: Brendon Lade
2: Stephen Paxman
1: Stephen Daniels	3: Shane Bond
2: Brayden Lyle
[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]	Adelaide	3: Gavin Wanganeen
2: Brendon Lade
1: Matthew Connell
2: Darren Jarman
1: Kym Koster
2: Stephen Daniels
1: Darren Jarman
1998	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]]	Port Adelaide	3: Nathan Bassett
2: Josh Francou
1: Matthew Primus
2: Matthew Primus
1: Fabian Francis
2: Matthew Primus
1: Fabian Francis
[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]	Adelaide
2: Peter Vardy
1: Darren Jarman
2: Peter Vardy
1: Ben Hart
2: Peter Vardy
1: Ben Hart
1999	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]	Adelaide	3: Kane Johnson

1: David Gallagher | 3: Matthew Robran

1: Ben Hart | 2: Matthew Robran 1: Ben Hart | | | | | | | | | [[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg|16x16px]] | Port Adelaide | 3: Brendon Lade

1: Gavin Wanganeen | 3: Brendon Lade 3: Gavin Wanganeen | 2: Gavin Wanganeen 1: Brendon Lade | | | | | | | | | ::

::data[format=table title="2005 Showdown Final"]

Match	Combined	Winning club	Brownlow	Club B&F	Merv Agars Medal	19	N/A	N/A
2005	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]] Simon Goodwin	Adelaide
2: Mark Ricciuto
1: Scott Welsh
::

AFL Women's

::data[format=table title=""]

Season	Round	Winner	Ref
2022 (S7)	6	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]
2023	1	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]
2024	1	[[File:Adelaide_Club_symbol.svg	16x16px]]
2025	11	[[File:AFL_Port_Adelaide_Icon.jpg	16x16px]]
::

References

References

1. [[Mark Ricciuto]] and Shane Mensforth, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=Yle9pDqSaOcC&dq=%22mark+ricciuto%22+%22showdown+medal%22&pg=PA105 Roo]'' (Sydney: Pan Macmillan, 2007), 105.
2. [http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/tabid/6038/default.aspx?newsid=57146 It's the Balfours Showdown!]
3. Thring, Harry. (16 July 2015). "Showdown's best to win Phillip Walsh Medal".
4. (2025-05-08). "Showdown Medal history complete".
5. [http://footystats.freeservers.com/Footystats/Trophies-Medals.html Trophies-Medals]
6. [http://www.afana.com/drupal5/news/2006/08/27/turf_experiments_dome-223 Australian Football League News]
7. [https://web.archive.org/web/20121002161547/http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/2926/default.aspx Round 5, 2002]
8. [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/04/28/1051381903434.html Sporting Life]
9. [http://www.afc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/4417/newsid/75941/default.aspx Pick your Showdown star of stars]
10. [http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6301/newsid/24355/default.aspx Tell us your best Crows]{{dead link. (September 2021)
11. [http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/6038/Default.aspx?newsId=31309 Round 21, 2006]
12. [http://www.afc.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=4417&newsId=41282 Round 3, 2007]
13. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110524215332/http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/48604/default.aspx Round 18, 2007]
14. [https://web.archive.org/web/20080415053730/http://www.afl.com.au/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=57452 Round 3, 2008]
15. [https://web.archive.org/web/20080722110147/http://afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=63759 Round 16, 2008]
16. [https://web.archive.org/web/20090503153455/http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/76103/default.aspx Round 6, 2009]
17. [http://www.afc.com.au/tabid/4417/default.aspx?newsid=81410 Round 17, 2009]
18. [http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/93405/default.aspx Round 6, 2010] {{webarchive. link. (2 October 2012)
19. [http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/98946/default.aspx Round 17, 2010] {{webarchive. link. (28 July 2010)
20. [http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/111821/default.aspx Round 4, 2011] {{webarchive. link. (8 October 2012)
21. [http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/119828/default.aspx Round 19, 2011] {{webarchive. link. (10 October 2012)
22. (29 April 2012). "Walker fires Crows to Showdown win". [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]].
23. Thring, Harry. (7 July 2012). "Show stopper".
24. Conway, Mark. (14 April 2013). "Port stuns Crows with Showdown fightback".
25. Thring, Harry. (4 August 2013). "Monfries miracle hands Port thrilling win in final AAMI Showdown".
26. (29 March 2014). "Port Adelaide claim Showdown triumph with 55-point win over Adelaide Crows at new Adelaide Oval". [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]].
27. "Back-to-back Showdown medal for captain Dawson". AFL.com.au.
28. Rucci, Michelangelo. (11 May 2019). "The 6 Missing Medals". The Advertiser.
29. (2018-08-03). "The year the goal-kickers had their say on the derby".
30. (9 September 2016). "On this day: Crows win Showdown final".
31. "AFL Tables - Adelaide v Port Adelaide - Sat, 10-Sep-2005 7:00 PM (7:30 PM) - Match Stats".
32. Oates, Tayla. (31 August 2024). "Crows survive scare from gritty Power to clinch Showdown".

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