The Jock McHale Medal — The AFL Premiership Coach Award
The Jock McHale Medal goes to the AFL premiership coach each year. Named after Collingwood’s nine-time premiership coach Jock McHale (1912–1949), the medal is awarded to the head coach of the AFL Grand Final winner — the strategist who guided his team through 23+ matches and won the year’s biggest game. First awarded retrospectively in 2001, the medal is now one of the most-cited individual honours in coaching.
The History: Jock McHale’s Legacy
Jock McHale coached Collingwood from 1912 to 1949 — 38 years, the longest coaching tenure in VFL/AFL history. During his tenure, the Magpies won nine premierships (1917, 1919, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1935, 1936, 1953) — though McHale was technically gone by the 1953 flag. The 1927–1930 four-peat is still the only one in VFL/AFL history.
The Jock McHale Medal was instituted in 2001, with retrospective awards going to all premiership coaches from the medal’s inaugural year forward. The medal is presented to the winning coach during the post-Grand Final celebration — the coach typically performs a media-friendly acceptance speech and walks the boundary with the team.
Recent Winners
- 2025: TBD
- 2024: Chris Fagan (Brisbane Lions)
- 2023: Craig McRae (Collingwood)
- 2022: Chris Scott (Geelong)
- 2021: Simon Goodwin (Melbourne)
- 2020: Damien Hardwick (Richmond) — third
- 2019: Damien Hardwick (Richmond) — second
- 2018: Adam Simpson (West Coast)
- 2017: Damien Hardwick (Richmond) — first
- 2016: Luke Beveridge (Western Bulldogs)
- 2015: Alastair Clarkson (Hawthorn) — fourth
- 2014: Alastair Clarkson (Hawthorn) — third
- 2013: Alastair Clarkson (Hawthorn) — second
- 2012: John Longmire (Sydney)
- 2011: Chris Scott (Geelong) — first; in his debut season as coach
Multiple Jock McHale Winners
- Alastair Clarkson: 4 medals (2008, 2013, 2014, 2015) — Hawthorn three-peat era
- Damien Hardwick: 3 medals (2017, 2019, 2020) — Richmond’s premiership era
- Chris Scott: 2 medals (2011, 2022) — Geelong era
- Mick Malthouse: 1 (2010 Collingwood) — won the only Magpies flag of the modern era at the time
Note: Mick Malthouse’s 1990 West Coast premiership was retrospective; the medal was instituted later.
The Pre-Medal Premiership Coaches
Notable VFL/AFL premiership coaches before the medal era:
- Jock McHale (Collingwood): 9 premierships
- Norm Smith (Melbourne): 6 premierships (1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1964)
- Tom Hafey (Richmond): 4 premierships (1967, 1969, 1973, 1974)
- Allan Jeans (Hawthorn/St Kilda): 4 premierships
- David Parkin (Carlton): 3 premierships
- Ron Barassi (Carlton/North Melbourne): 4 premierships as coach
- Leigh Matthews (Collingwood/Brisbane): 4 premierships
- Kevin Sheedy (Essendon): 4 premierships (1984, 1985, 1993, 2000)
- Mick Malthouse: 3 premierships (1990, 1992, 2010)
Trivia for the Pub
- The Jock McHale Medal was instituted in 2001.
- It is named after Collingwood’s nine-time premiership coach.
- Alastair Clarkson’s four medals are the modern record.
- Damien Hardwick’s three medals in four years (2017, 2019, 2020) is an extraordinary modern accomplishment.
- The medal is presented during the post-Grand Final celebration.
- Pre-2001 premiership coaches were not formally medalled.
- Jock McHale’s 38-year coaching tenure is the longest in VFL/AFL history.
- The Collingwood 1927-1930 four-peat is the only one in VFL/AFL history.
- Kevin Sheedy’s 27 years at Essendon (1981–2007) is the longest single-club tenure.
- Chris Fagan’s 2024 Brisbane premiership was his first.
The Rumours
The persistent rumour: retrospective medal awards for pre-2001 coaches. Has been canvassed; the AFL has issued some heritage acknowledgements but no formal retroactive medals.
The other rumour: extending the Jock McHale to AFLW coaches. The AFLW has its own equivalent; integration has been resisted.
The Verdict
The Jock McHale Medal is the AFL’s coaching gold standard. Win one, and you’re in the pantheon. Win four, and you’re Alastair Clarkson. Win three in four years, and you’re Damien Hardwick. Every Jock McHale winner is permanently linked to the AFL’s most prestigious team achievement. Long live the master coaches.
