Full list of Aussie rules players who have won the Bernie Gottke Medal

Brothers Kangaroos’ legend Wayne Clifford reflects on what joining the list of the competition’s best players in history meant to him. FULL LIST HERE.

Brothers Kangaroos legend Wayne Clifford won the Bernie Gottke Medal in 1997.

Wayne Clifford fell in love with Aussie rules the first time he watched it on television.

He would go on to have an enduring career in the game, the majority of which he played in the AFL Capricornia competition with Brothers Kangaroos, the club his parents Tony and Donna helped found.

He clocked up his 300th senior game with the club in 2017, the year in which he officially retired after, he jokes, “having retired about seven times before that”.

His passion for the game and the people who played it were what kept drawing him back.

Wayne Clifford is chaired off the field after his 300th game for Brothers Kangaroos.

A five-time premiership player with the Kangaroos, he received the competition’s coveted award - the Bernie Gottke Medal for best and fairest - in 1997.

The medal has been awarded every year since 1974. On three occasions it has been shared three ways, six times there have been dual winners, including in 2021.

Clifford enjoyed a standout season as centreman when he received the medal.

“It was a pretty solid season from what I can recall,” he said.

“We all play these games for the team aspect but I can look back now and think it’s nice to be part of what’s a pretty special club.

Brothers Kangaroos legend Wayne Clifford won the Bernie Gottke Medal in 1997.

“Rocky means a lot to me in regards to my footy.

“I think it’s quite an honour to win the league medal of a competition that you’ve grown up in, and I regard it just as highly as the few other accolades that I’ve been able to have through my various careers.”

Clifford believes that Aussies rules has improved tactically since he was playing.

“I think more thinking goes into the game today,” he said.

“It still relies on the individual ability of players but I think teams are better set up now than they were through my era.

“It’s a much more structured game at this level, whereas in the ’80s and early ’90s, it was more open to the players’ own interpretation.”

Bernie Gottke Medal winners

1974 Gary Ward (Parkhurst)

1975 Tony Weller (Wandal)

1976 Jock McSporran

1977 Norm White (Parkana)

1978 Ross Borg (Wandal)

1979 Mel Cross (All Blacks)

1980 Ross Borg (Wandal)

1981 Chris Millard (Blackwater)

1982 Alex Herewane (Gladstone)

1983 John Boccomazzo (Parkhurst)

1984 Ross Pearson (Parkana)

1985 Rick Floyd (Biloela)

1986 Shane Sargent (Parkhurst)

1987 Doug Bennett (BITS)

1988 Rick Munday (Wandal)

1989 Robert Keys (Parkana)

1990 Steve Burns (Yeppoon)

1991 Gavin Diaz (Parkhurst), Gerald Hickey (Brothers)

1992 Tim Carroll (Brothers)

1993 Darren Horton (Gladstone), Paul Ugle (Parkhurst)

1994 Derek Smith (Gladstone), Paul Ugle (Parkhurst), Steve Lauritz (Yeppoon)

1995 Robert Hull (BITS)

1996 Derek Smith (Gladstone)

Brothers Wayne Clifford.

1997 Wayne Clifford (Brothers)

1998 Murray Payne (Glenmore)

BITS Darren Boase.

1999 Darren Boase (BITS)

2000 Andy Thornberry (Glenmore)

2001 Matthew Parker (Gladstone)

2002 Luke Henschile (Glenmore), Michael Warden (BITS), Wes Hawke (Yeppoon)

2003 Michael Warden (BITS)

2004 Darren Boase (BITS)

2005 Darren Boase (BITS)

Panthers’ Clinton Evans.

2006 Clinton Evans (Panthers)

2007 Liam Kronk (Panthers)

Panthers’ Liam Kronk.

2008 Ben Burns (Glenmore)

2009 Aaron Russell (Glenmore), Wes Hawke (Yeppoon)

Glenmore’s Aaron Russell.

2010 Aiden Colbourne (Brothers)

2011 Adam Rakip (BITS), Tyson Payne (Glenmore)

Yeppoon’s Matthew Wallin.

2012 Matthew Wallin (Yeppoon)

2013 Dan Hunt (BITS)

Yeppoon’s Tom Cossens.

2014 Tom Cossens (Yeppoon), Tyson Payne (Glenmore)

2015 Matthew Wallin (Yeppoon)

AFL - Glenmore player Tim Higgins in the AFL game against BITS at Stenlake Park.

2016 Tim Higgins (Glenmore)

2017 Jamie Garner (Yeppoon), Steven Pugh (BITS), Tim Higgins (Glenmore)

Yeppoon's Tom Cossens.

2018 Tom Cossens (Yeppoon)

2019 Alex Chapman (Yeppoon)

Yeppoon’s Alex Chapman.

2020 Ubil Choi (BITS)

2021 Tom Cossens (Yeppoon), Josh McKee (Yeppoon)