By ZAC MILBANK
Norwood’s Harry Boyd has had his tremendous 2024 campaign fittingly rewarded, becoming the first Redleg in 11 years to win the R.O Shearman Medal.
Widely-regarded as the standout ruckman in the Hostplus SANFL League this season, the Redlegs giant polled 109 votes to hold off Sturt midfielder Will Snelling on 101.
Heading into Round 19, Snelling had the opportunity to leapfrog Boyd with a perfect 10 but failed to attract a vote from the coaches while Boyd gathered one from his last outing against the Eagles.
The 2022 Jack Oatey Medallist posted eye-popping averages of 21 disposals, 10 clearances, four tackles and 41 hit outs across his 18 matches in 2024.
Boyd is just the second Norwood player to win the R.O Shearman Medal, joining Matt Thomas in 2013.
Fellow Redleg Baynen Lowe placed third with 76 votes, ahead of North Adelaide’s Campbell Combe on 65.
North Adelaide’s James Allan has dominated the award, claiming a record six R. O Shearman Medals, including one with Sturt’s Jade Sheedy in 2008.
Voted on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis by the SANFL coaches during the minor round, the R. O Shearman Medal voting appears weekly on the SANFL website.
Introduced in 2000, the medal is named after five-time Sturt premiership player and SA Football Hall of Fame member Bob Shearman.
Player | Club | Votes |
---|---|---|
Harry Boyd | Norwood | 109 |
Will Snelling | Sturt | 101 |
Baynen Lowe | Norwood | 76 |
Campbell Combe | North | 65 |
Kobe Ryan | West | 58 |
James Rowe | Eagles | 58 |
Matt Allen | Glenelg | 55 |
Year | Player | Club |
---|---|---|
2000 | Gavin Colville | Woodville-West Torrens |
2001 | Ryan O'Connor | Port Adelaide |
2002 | Jade Sheedy | Sturt |
2003 | Brett Backwell/Marco Bello | Glenelg/Central District |
2004 | Salim Hassan | West Adelaide |
2005 | Jeremy Clayton | Port Adelaide |
2006 | Justin Cicolella | Woodville-West Torrens |
2007 | James Allan | North Adelaide |
2008 | James Allan/Jade Sheedy | North Adelaide/Sturt |
2009 | James Allan | North Adelaide |
2010 | James Allan | North Adelaide |
2011 | James Allan | North Adelaide |
2012 | James Allan | North Adelaide |
2013 | Matthew Thomas | Norwood |
2014 | Steven Summerton | Port Adelaide |
2015 | Joel Cross | South Adelaide |
2016 | Jared Petrenko | Woodville-West Torrens |
2017 | Joel Cross | South Adelaide |
2018 | Nick Liddle | South Adelaide |
2019 | Luke Partington | Glenelg |
2020 | Matthew Snook | Glenelg |
2021 | Campbell Combe | North Adelaide |
2022 | Riley Knight | Woodville-West Torrens |
2023 | Harry Grant | Central District |
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