The AFL Players Association has nominated six players for the 2020 Madden Medal, with the winner to be named next week.
Two-time Brownlow medallist Gary Ablett, 342-game Blues defender Kade Simpson, two-time premiership winner Harry Taylor, former Collingwood and Geelong speedster Travis Varcoe and former Port Adelaide duo Justin Westhoff and Brad Ebert have been nominated for the award.
The Madden Medal is awarded to recently retired players who have shown an exceptional level of excellence both on and off the field across their careers, with the honour named after both Simon and Justin Madden.
Ablett ended his 357-game career with two premierships, six club best and fairests, five AFL MVP Awards, eight All-Australian selections and three AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Awards across his time with Geelong and Gold Coast.
Simpson first joined Carlton via the 2002 draft and was a John Nicholls Medal winner with the Blues. His games tally sits third all-time at the club and he was also a recipient of the Jim Stynes Medal in 2008.
Most top 10 finishes in B&Fs in the past 20 years
16 - Gary Ablett jnr
15 - KADE SIMPSON
14 - BHarvey LHodge SPendlebury SMitchell DMundy
13 - TBoak SBurgoyne CJudd MPavlich NRiewoldt— Swamp (@sirswampthing) February 19, 2021
Taylor played 280 matches for Geelong, winning two premierships and two All-Australian selections as one of this century's best key defenders. Taylor was a mature-aged selection for Geelong via the 2007 draft.
Varcoe played 2320 games across his time with Geelong and Collingwood, winning two premierships with the Cats and was also a representative for the Indigenous All Stars in 2009.
Travis Varcoe nominated for the 2020 Madden Medal
Only V/@AFL player to kick the opening goal of a Grand Final for two different clubs
2011 GEEL
2018 COLLHolds the record for fewest career games to clock up 100 wins - 117 games
@CollingwoodFC @GeelongCats @AFLPlayers
— Swamp (@sirswampthing) March 6, 2021
Westhoff sits third on the Power's all-time leading goal-kicker tally with 313 goals from his 280 matches with Port Adelaide. The much-loved forward won a best and fairest in 2018 and was a Showdown medallist in 2011.
Ebert played a total of 260 matches between the Eagles and Power, first making his debut with West Coast in 2008. The pacey midfielder was a constant threat in the midfield during his time with both clubs.
Past recipients of the Madden Medal include Luke Hodge, Brendon Goddard, Nick Riewoldt, Matthew Pavlich, Chris Judd and Lenny Hayes.