The prestigious Downlow Medal will hereby be known as The Frownlow Medal following an official decision from the award’s management committee.
The name change was implemented to reflect the increasing popularity and prestige of the award among the players and its fans.
“This award is loved by the people, and it required a name which reflected that sentiment” read an official statement from the group which oversees the award.
“The actions of the players who have been nominated for and received the award bring so much joy, pleasure and inspiration to the public and the fans. The introduction of the word ‘frown’ encapsulates that sentiment.”
“The committee regards this as a stage of the natural evolution of the award which is still in its infancy but is already growing in stature and reputation.”
The Frownlow Medal is awarded to the player whose off field demeanour epitomises the values of the modern day footballer and draws attention to the status of footballers as role models to young Australians. It covers Australia’s four major football codes; the National Rugby League (NRL), Australian Football League (AFL), the A League (Football) and Rugby Union’s Super Rugby competition. The first medal was awarded to Sydney Roosters and New Zealand representative Shaun Kenny-Dowall in 2015.
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