A five-person voting panel for the 2024 Anzac Day Medal has been named, with Collingwood premiership player Dale Thomas named as chairperson.
Thomas, who will be representing broadcaster Channe Seven, will be accompanied by AFL great Eddie Betts on the panel, with the pair bringing over 600 games of AFL experience to the voting process.
A much-loved member during his time in the black and white, Thomas played in seven Anzac Day matches against Essendon across his eight years with the Magpies.
Betts will represent Fox Footy on the voting panel and will be joined by AFL Media's Sarah Black, ABC Sport's Cameron Ling - who also brings almost 250 games of experience - and The Age's Andrew Wu in voting for the Anzac Day Medal.
Previously a four-person panel, voters will cast votes of 3, 2, 1, with the player viewed best-afield to be given three votes by each panel member. The player with the most votes will win the Anzac Day Medal.
Thursday's game is set to see four previous winners feature at the MCG, with Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom, Darcy Parish and Nick Daicos all named to play.
Pendlebury - who is likely to become the first player to record 10,000 disposals in V/AFL history - could also become the first player to win four Anzac Day Medals, having already been named best-afield in the 2010, 2011 and 2019 matches.
He would surpass Essendon great James Hird for the most Anzac Day Medals won.
Only four players have won multiple Anzac Day Medals, with former Collingwood pair Sav Rocca and Dane Swan joining Hird and Pendlebury with at least two medals.
Thursday's match is scheduled to commence at 3:20pm (AEST), with the Anzac Day Official Observance Ceremony to take place 13 minutes prior.
2024 Anzac Day Medal voting panel
- Dale Thomas (Channel Seven – Chairperson)
- Eddie Betts (Fox Footy)
- Sarah Black (AFL Media)
- Cameron Ling (ABC Sport)
- Andrew Wu (The Age)
