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Sport Nation
Gerard Healy’s brilliant concept to further enhance Gather Round
SEN • April 11th, 2025 9:27 am
Gerard Healy has put forward a brilliant idea for Gather Round.
The Brownlow Medallist wants to see a Gather Round Medal awarded for the best or most influential player of the round.
Healy believes it should be named after a prominent South Australian, suggesting the (Mark) Choco Williams Medal or the Andrew McLeod Medal as two potential options.
“Should we have a Gather Round Medal? And if so, who should it be named after?,” Healy asked on SEN’s Sportsday.
“I’ve got two suggestions - the Choco Williams Medal or the McLeod Medal.
“It’s such a big event for the sport. I might send it over to Andrew Dillon, although it might be too late for this year.
“I think it’s crazy not to have it. I don’t know how you would vote on it, but the best player of the round gets it.”
Co-host Kane Cornes, a proud South Australian and Port Adelaide great, vehemently agrees with Healy’s concept.
He would lean towards the Choco Williams Medal given his connection with several SANFL and AFL clubs.
“Out of those two I would vote for ‘The Choco’,” Cornes said.
“He’s been at Collingwood as captain, he was Brisbane in the early days, he’s been at Port Adelaide, he’s been at the Giants, he’s been at Richmond, he’s been at Melbourne, he coached at Glenelg and he’s a Port legend as a player and coach.
“Has anyone had more of a cross-section of all the teams that come to Adelaide in Gather Round than Mark Williams?
“Add the South Australia connection with the family, so I think you’ve nailed it there.
“I love the idea (of the medal). You could have a panel of voters, not dissimilar to an All-Australian panel, who are here in town and have a good cross-section of the games.
“They can vote for the most influential player of Gather Round.”
Some of the other potential options could be the Malcolm Blight Medal (already the Crows best and fairest), the Russell Ebert Medal, the Barrie Robran Medal and the Tony Modra Medal.
