Mitch Matters: Brownlow medals are made in Frankston
THE Peninsula has a surprising connection to the Brownlow awards, Peter Mitchell writes.
South East
Don't miss out on the headlines from South East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
IT’S a very exciting time of year that comes with the smell of freshly cut grass in the nostrils.
For many, spring means only one thing. It’s footy finals time.
It helps us get through the chills of winter, knowing that the culmination of the football season, be it the AFL or the local competition, is upon us.
PENINSULA FARMERS’ ROAD RAGE OVER TRAFFIC FIX
DRUGGED UP DRUNK’S COP SHOP FAIL
The arrival of September also coincides with numerous awards ceremonies for the best players in the land — the biggest being the Brownlow Medal for the AFL’s fairest and best.
Only two players with connections to our region have taken out footy’s greatest individual award.
The Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League gave us St Kilda’s Robert Harvey (Seaford) who won the award twice, in 1997-98, and Sydney’s Gerard Healy (Edithvale-Aspendale) in 1988.
And yet there is a much greater local connection to this prize and not many people are aware of it.
The medal that will be placed around the neck of the winner on September 24 by the previous recipient, is made in Frankston.
A company called ‘Cash’s Awards and Promotion Solutions’ in Tooyal St, takes the responsibility of making such an icon of the game very seriously.
Every medal starts its journey as a piece of 18 carat gold, 2.5mm thick, worth $3,000.
After the gold is softened and rolled, the priceless Brownlow die is used to create the medal’s famous shape. Hand struck and hand enamelled, glass crystals are used in the areas where the medal is blue, and it is fired with a torch.
ICE DRIVER SMASHES INTO HOUSES
FATHER BASHES DAUGHTER WITH ROLLING PIN
Made with much love and passion, the Chas. Brownlow Medal has a ribbon woven with the AFL logo attached and is finally placed in a presentation box.
Incredibly, that’s not the end of Cash’s work with the AFL. You name any AFL or AFLW award, and it is made in Frankston, including the Premiership Cups.
Every Premiership Medallion, the Norm Smith Medal, the Jock McHale Medal, the John Coleman Medal, the Rising Star Award — they are all made in Frankston.
Cash’s created the first Premiership Cup in 1959, from a design drawn by then VFL President, Sir Kenneth Luke. A little known fact is that every year, numerous replica cups are made for promotional purposes. These act as a decoy, to appear at functions and events, such as the Grand Final parade on the eve of the big match.
The ‘real’ Premiership Cup is only removed from its box after the final siren and is handed to the person deemed worthy of presenting it to the winning captain and coach.
Cash’s and the AFL have an extraordinary relationship.
There is no contract, just a handshake agreement.
In fact, Cash’s delivers the Premiership Cup to the League every year, free of charge.
It’s their act of goodwill, their contribution to the game that has been so good to them, and to Frankston.
Twitter: Peter_Mitchell7
Instagram: @peter_mitchell7
Facebook: Peter Mitchell
MORE BY MITCH:
PETER THOMSON GREAT IN SO MANY WAYS
CASH SPLASH FOR CERBERUS WELCOME