Here at The Mongrel we have a flair for the extravagant. We like to watch football with personality, and none in the AFL have more personality than those who kick the big bags. Let’s face it – we love to see a dominant mid rip the game apart, or a defender completely own the back 50, but there is something about a player getting on the end of a few long kicks inside 50, and slotting a bag of goals… it’s why you pay to watch the footy.
But there is already an award for the big goal-kickers, right? It’s the Coleman Medal and as we’ve seen in recent years, it is a sought-after award. Charlie Curnow secured the award this time around, making it two Blues in a row, but here at The Mongrel, we want to dive deeper into the art of forward craft to look at more than just a season as a whole.
Yep, here we’d like to drill down on the performances that made the season what it was. Whether it was a standout performance by a youngster, a dominant performance by a key forward, or a sublime effort from a player who is not the marquee forward on the team.
So if the official award is titled the Coleman Medal, it is only fitting that we name our awards after the greatest goal kicker of all time.
The Tony Lockett Awards?
No, no, no… that’s way too formal. We need something a little catchier.
The Pluggers?
Hmmmm, slightly sexual, and very tempting, but we’re not quite there yet.
The Pluggies?
Well, it’s not quite the Oscars, and it’s better than the Logies, so it’ll do for right now. It worked last year, anyway.
So, without further ado, the Pluggies for 2023…
THE TONY LOCKETT AWARD for the best individual forward performance in a key forward role
And the nominees are…
JESSE HOGAN – 9 Goals v Essendon (Round 23)
CHARLIE CURNOW – 10 Goals v West Coast (R19)
TAYLOR WALKER – 10 Goals v West Coast (R13)
NICK LARKEY – 9 Goals v Gold Coast (R24)
TAYLOR WALKER (2) – 9 Goals v West Coast (R24)
CHARLIE CURNOW (2) – 9 Goals v West Coast (R7)
AND THE WINNER IS…JESSE HOGAN
Well, let me tell you something, brother…
It’s great to see Jesse up and about again after looking, for a while, as though we may never see him back at his best. he promised so much at Melbourne, with a 50-goal season under his belt in 2018, before things fell apart. His time at Freo was a disaster and not much was expected in his time at GWS, but he has turned back the clock, and with a good run of health, has re-established himself as one of the best marking forwards in the game.
And for the record, I discounted both efforts from Curnow and Tex, as they both beat up on the Eagles. I would have had Larkey as runner-up.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
2019 – JEREMY CAMERON
2020 – TOM HAWKINS
2021 – NICK LARKEY
2022 – TOM LYNCH/JOSH KENNEDY
THE “CUCUMBER” AWARD – as in “as cool as a…” for coming up big in the clutch
And the nominees are…
JORDAN DE GOEY for his long bomb at the conclusion of the first quarter of the Grand Final
DAN HOUSTON for his mammoth effort to win the game against Essendon in Round 16
STEELE SIDEBOTTOM for his 55-metre bomb in the final quarter of the Grand Final
AND THE WINNER IS…DAN HOUSTON
There is no real contest this season – hell, Dan Houston’s game-winner was one of the choices in the annual Goal of the Year award for a very good reason.
Look at this defender sneaking in to steal a forward’s award. What a cheeky bugger! Houston made a habit of getting forward and hurting teams this season. he sagged nine goals running off half-back and added 11 direct goal assists to his numbers, picking up his first-ever All-Australian blazer in the process.
55 metres out, siren gone… ball in Dan Houston’s hands… Essendon never had a chance.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
2019 – NOT AWARDED
2020 – ROBBIE GRAY
2021 – ZAC BAILEY
2022 – JAMIE ELLIOTT
THE “BARELY LEGAL…” AWARD – for best performance from a forward 22 or under
And the nominees are…
JYE AMISS
JAMARRA UGLE-HAGAN
LUKE JACKSON
KYSAIAH PICKETT
MITCH OWENS
JOSH RACHELE
AND THE WINNER IS…JAMARRA UGLE-HAGAN
There is a very good reason that teams are gearing up to offer Jamarra the biggest deal in the league – I reckon he could go past Aaron Naughton as the number-one forward at the Kennel in 2024.
His Round 21 effort of five goals against the Tigers emphasised just how good he can be. It was his second five-goal bag of the year and given how his overhead marking appears to be getting better, it certainly won’t be his last. If you were buying stock in a tall forward, Jamarra would have to be the best buy in the league.
Will he stay at the Wsstern Bulldogs? Whatever he decides, he is going to cost a bomb, especially with the salary cap increasing.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
2019 – AARON NAUGHTON
2020 – AARON NAUGHTON
2021 – BEN KING
2022 – MAX KING
THE STEWART “PLUGGER’S SIDEKICK” LOEWE AWARD – Best performance by a forward in a supporting role
And the nominees are…
CHARLIE CAMERON – 59 GOALS (TWO BEHIND JOE DANIHER)
TOM HAWKINS – 49 GOALS (FOUR BEHIND JEREMY CAMERON)
OLLIE HENRY – 41 GOALS (12 BEHIND JEREMY CAMERON)
JESSE HOGAN – 49 GOALS (17 BEHIND TOBY GREENE)
AND THE WINNER IS… CHARLIE CAMERON
I love watching Charlie Cameron play footy. You just get the feeling that anything can, and may very well happen when he is near the footy.
With Joe Daniher looking like the player we all thought he’d be, Charlie slotted into the role of the more traditional small forward (he’s actually really good in the air, as well). His two goals to open the second quarter of the Grand Final were a great indication as to how he can change the momentum of a game in short bursts. Hell, he did it again in the last quarter with the go-ahead goal for the Lions.
With multiple goals in 18 games in 2023, he was the perfect sidekick for Joe as he ran riot inside fifty en route to a thoroughly deserved second All-Australian selection.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
2019 – SAM LLOYD
2020 – JACK RIEWOLDT
2021 – JAKE STRINGER
2022 – TYSON STENGLE
THE TIPRAT MILNE ‘SMALL IN STATURE BUT BIG ON RESULTS’ AWARD – Best performance by a forward of the small variety
And the nominees are…
CHARLIE CAMERON
TOBY GREENE
KYLE LANGFORD
LUKE BREUST
AND THE WINNER IS…TOBY GREENE
This would be the award Charlie Cameron should have, in the eyes of many, but the way Toby Greene plays tall, and wins, is a testament to his ability as a pure footballer.
Greene possesses the innate ability to know when to fly for a mark, when to stay down, and when to duck out the side or the back, losing his man in the confusion.
And for those saying that Greene is not a small forward, he is 2cm taller than Charlie Cameron. He just hits different.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
2019 – ANTHONY MCDONALD-TIPUNGWUTI
2020 – DAN BUTLER
2021 – CHARLIE CAMERON
2022 – CHARLIE CAMERON
THE JOE GANINO “COULDN’T HIT THE OCEAN FROM THE BEACH” AWARD – Worst accuracy in front of goal.
And the nominees are…
JEREMY FINLAYSON
JOE DANIHER
CHRISTIAN PETRACCA
HARRY MCKAY
AND THE WINNER IS… HARRY MCKAY
Yes, Harry finally kicks a goal and wins something! The poor bloke had the type of season where he could have fallen into a barrel of nipples and still ended up sucking his thumb.
McKay felt the pressure in 2023. Relegated to a supporting role behind Charlie Curnow, the big fella couldn’t seem to get settled, and that was exacerbated by some terrible misses from close range.
There may be some that missed more goals in 2023, but few had more bad misses than McKay.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
2019 – NOT AWARDED
2020 – HUGH MCCLUGGAGE
2021 – TOBY GREENE
2022 – CHRISTIAN PETRACCA
THE GARY ABLETT SENIOR “BIG BAG AND NO WIN” AWARD – Best performance by a forward in a losing side
AND THE WINNER IS…JEREMY CAMERON – 7 Goals in a loss to Collingwood in Round 22
There wasn’t much more Jeremy Cameron could have done for the Cats against the Pies in Round 22.
With Geelong staring down their first season without finals in a decade, Jezza held up his end of the bargain, slotting 7.4 in a dominant performance, but was unable to lift the Cats over the eventual premiers, as the Pies emerged victorious by eight points, ending the Geelong challenge in 2023.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
2019 – CONNOR ROZEE
2020 – JACK MARTIN
2021 – TAYLOR WALKER
2022 – JOSH KENNEDY
THE KEVIN BARTLETT “NEVER SEEN A SHOT AT GOAL HE DIDN’T LIKE” AWARD
AND THE WINNER IS –JOE DANIHER
Not to talk down Joe – I reckon he had a great season – but he loves slamming the footy on his boot whenever he is within 60 metres of goal, doesn’t he?
He was ranked 17th in the league for clangers in 2023. Given only Toby Greene (another who loves a flying shot at goal – he was our 2021 winner) was ranked above him, it indicates that Joe often sends the ball flying toward goal… or somewhere near the goal, and hopes for the best.
It’s not that he doesn’t have great vision and the ability to find a teammate. It’s just that he sometimes… doesn’t look.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
2019 – ALEX SEXTON
2020 – JAKE STRINGER
2021 – TOBY GREENE
2022 – BAYLEY FRITSCH
THE MICHAEL JORDAN “COMING UP BIG WHEN IT COUNTS” award for best forward performance of the finals
AND THE WINNER IS… BOBBY HILL
Three goals in the Qualifying Final and four in the decider are enough to convince me that Bobby Hill was the best forward of the finals. His first half in the Grand Final was scintillating and set the Pies up for their win.
Hill added a heap to the Pies this season, displacing Jack Ginnivan for a long period (not forgetting that Ginnivan kicked 40+ goals in 2022). His commitment to working up through the wings and beating his opponent back inside 50 made him integral to the way Collingwood wanted to play. Though the stats don’t indicate a whole heap of difference, the defensive pressure Hill applied inside 50 was a difference-maker as well.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
2019 – DUSTIN MARTIN
2020 – DUSTIN MARTIN
2021 – BAYLEY FRITSCH
2022 – TOM HAWKINS
THE KOBE BRYANT “GOING OUT WITH A BANG” AWARD
And hey, this award was created before his death, so it is in reference to his 60-point final game… not the fact he died in a helicopter accident. Important to note that. I’m a bum, but not a completely classless bum.
AND THE WINNER IS –JACK RIEWOLDT
Well, not a bang. More like it was a pop gun going off.
I would have liked to see Jack kick a few in the last quarter of his Round 23 swansong, but his radar was completely off and he didn’t follow the script, missing three set shots to end his career.
Still, it was as part of a Tiger win that sent both he and Trent Cotchin into retirement with a win.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
2019-21 – NOT AWARDED
2022 – JOSH KENNEDY
And finally…
THE JASON DUNSTALL AWARD for the most consistent forward of the season
THE WINNER IS…TOBY GREENE
No huge bags for Toby. No beating up on shitty teams. Just a wonderfully consistent season for one of the best players in the game.
It’s been gratifying to see the footy world openly embracing Greene for the player he is, as opposed to looking for a reason to hate him.
His highest number of goals in a single game was five in 2023, but he kicked multiple goals in 21 of his 24 games for the year. In contrast, Charlie Curnow kicked single figures seven times.
Great player. Great to watch. Great season.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
2019-21 – NOT AWARDED
2022 – CHARLIE CURNOW
And there we go; the fifth annual edition of ‘The Pluggies’.
Hopefully, it is taken in the intended tone, but you just can never tell with some people… they get so fired up about nothing.
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