Clive Churchill Medal
{{Short description|Australian rugby league medal}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox sports award
| name = Clive Churchill Medal
| caption = 2024 medal winner Liam Martin
| image = Liam Martin Kangaroos.jpg
| league = National Rugby League
| givenfor = The man-of-the-match in the NRL Grand Final
| first = 1986 (contemporary)
1954 (retrospective)
| firstwinner = Peter Sterling (contemporary)
Clive Churchill (retrospective)
| mostwins = Norm Provan {{small|(3)}}
| mostrecent = Liam Martin (2024)}}
The Clive Churchill Medal is the award given to the player judged to be man-of-the-match in the National Rugby League's annual Grand Final. The award was created to honour Clive Churchill, one of the greatest rugby league players in Australian history, following his death in 1985. A prestigious honour in the NRL, the medal's recipient is chosen by the selectors of the Australian national team and announced and awarded at the post-grand final ceremony.
The Clive Churchill Medal has been awarded ever since the 1986 NSWRL season when its first recipient was Parramatta's Peter Sterling. It was initially presented in a case until 2000 where it is presented separately with a ribbon being worn around the neck. The only three players to have won the award more than once are Canberra's Bradley Clyde (1989 and 1991), Melbourne Storm's Billy Slater (2009 and 2017) and Penrith's Nathan Cleary (2021 and 2023) . In 2010, the Melbourne Storm were stripped of the 2007 and 2009 premierships due to salary cap breaches exposed by the NRL, however the Clive Churchill Medallists from those years still continue to be recognised.
The medal has only been awarded to a member of the losing grand final team on four occasions. Bradley Clyde in 1991, Brad Mackay (St George) in 1993, Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly) in 2013, and Jack Wighton (Canberra Raiders) in 2019.
Churchill, who the medal was named after, played for and later coached the South Sydney Rabbitohs, played interstate football for both New South Wales and Queensland, and also played for, captained and coached the Australian Kangaroos.
List of recipients
| class="wikitable"
|+ Table key |style="background-color:#FBCEB1; width:3em"|^ |Player was member of losing team |
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:left;"
|+ Table of recipients |
| scope=col | Year
! scope=col | Recipient ! scope=col | Team ! scope=col | Position ! scope=col class="unsortable"|{{abbr|Ref|Reference(s)}} |
|---|
| 1986
! scope=row |{{sortname|Peter|Sterling|dab=rugby league}} |{{leagueicon| Parramatta Eels |16}} Parramatta Eels |{{rlp|HB}} | |
| 1987
! scope=row |{{sortname|Cliff|Lyons}} |{{leagueicon|Manly Sea Eagles|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |{{rlp|FE}} | |
| 1988
! scope=row |{{sortname|Paul|Dunn|dab=rugby league footballer}} |{{leagueicon|Canterbury Bulldogs|16}} Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs |{{rlp|PR}} | |
| 1989
! scope=row |{{sortname|Bradley|Clyde}} (1) |{{leagueicon|Canberra Raiders|16}} Canberra Raiders |{{rlp|LK}} | |
| 1990
! scope=row |{{sortname|Ricky|Stuart}} |{{leagueicon|Canberra Raiders|16}} Canberra Raiders |{{Rlp|HB}} | |
| 1991
! scope=row style="background:#FBCEB1;" | {{sortname|Bradley|Clyde}}^ (2) |{{leagueicon|Canberra Raiders|16}} Canberra Raiders |{{Rlp|LK}} | |
| 1992
! scope=row |{{sortname|Allan|Langer}} |{{leagueicon|Brisbane Broncos|16}} Brisbane Broncos |{{Rlp|HB}} | |
| 1993
! scope=row style="background:#FBCEB1;" | {{sortname|Brad|Mackay}}^ |{{leagueicon|St George Dragons|16}} St George Dragons |{{Rlp|LK}} | |
| 1994
! scope=row |{{sortname|David|Furner}} |{{leagueicon|Canberra Raiders|16}} Canberra Raiders |{{rlp|SR}} | |
| 1995
! scope=row |{{sortname|Jim|Dymock}} |{{leagueicon|Canterbury Bulldogs|16}} Sydney Bulldogs |{{Rlp|LK}} | |
| 1996
! scope=row |{{sortname|Geoff|Toovey}} |{{leagueicon|Manly Sea Eagles|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |{{Rlp|HB}} | |
| 1997
! scope=row |{{sortname|Robbie|O'Davis}} |{{leagueicon|Newcastle Knights|16}} Newcastle Knights |{{rlp|FB}} | |
| 1998
! scope=row |{{sortname|Gorden|Tallis}} |{{leagueicon|Brisbane Broncos|16}} Brisbane Broncos |{{Rlp|SR}} | last = Mascord | first = Steve | title = Embarrassed, dizzy Tallis says every player should be given a medal | work = The Sydney Morning Herald | place = Australia | page = 22 | publisher = Fairfax | date = 28 September 1998 | url = http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?docID=news980928_0317_1038 | access-date = 13 February 2011}} |
| 1999
! scope=row |{{sortname|Brett|Kimmorley}} |{{leagueicon|Melbourne Storm|16}} Melbourne Storm |{{Rlp|HB}} | |
| 2000
! scope=row |{{sortname|Darren|Lockyer}} |{{leagueicon|Brisbane Broncos|16}} Brisbane Broncos |{{Rlp|FB}} | |
| 2001
! scope=row |{{sortname|Andrew|Johns}} |{{leagueicon|Newcastle Knights|16}} Newcastle Knights |{{Rlp|HB}} |
| 2002
! scope=row |{{sortname|Craig|Fitzgibbon}} |{{leagueicon|Sydney Roosters|16}} Sydney Roosters |{{Rlp|SR}} |
| 2003
! scope=row |{{sortname|Luke|Priddis}} |{{leagueicon|Penrith Panthers|16}} Penrith Panthers |{{rlp|HK}} |{{cite news|last=Massoud|first=Josh|title=St George Illawarra hooker Luke Priddis to retire at end of season|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/st-george-illawarra-hooker-luke-priddis-to-retire-at-end-of-season/story-e6frfgbo-1225913013723|access-date=27 August 2011|newspaper=Herald Sun|date=2 September 2010}} |
| 2004
! scope=row |{{sortname|Willie|Mason}} |{{leagueicon|Canterbury Bulldogs|16}} Bulldogs |{{Rlp|PR}} |
| 2005
! scope=row |{{sortname|Scott|Prince}} |{{leagueicon|Wests Tigers|16}} Wests Tigers |{{Rlp|HB}} |{{cite news|title=Tigers claim historic premiership|url=http://www.abc.net.au/cgi-bin/common/printfriendly.pl?http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200510/s1472930.htm|access-date=25 September 2011|newspaper=abc.net.au|date=2 October 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113104415/http://www.abc.net.au/cgi-bin/common/printfriendly.pl?http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abc.net.au%2Fnews%2Fnewsitems%2F200510%2Fs1472930.htm|archive-date=13 November 2012|url-status=dead}} |
| 2006
! scope=row |{{sortname|Shaun|Berrigan}} |{{leagueicon|Brisbane Broncos|16}} Brisbane Broncos |{{Rlp|HK}} | last = Stevenson | first = Andrew | title = Medal for the quiet achiever | work = The Sydney Morning Herald | place = Australia | publisher = Fairfax Media | date = 2 October 2006 | url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/medal-for-the-quiet-achiever/2006/10/01/1159641217277.html | access-date = 2009-12-16}} |
| 2007
! scope=row |{{sortname|Greg|Inglis}} |{{leagueicon|Melbourne Storm|16}} Melbourne Storm |{{Rlp|FE}} |
| 2008
! scope=row |{{sortname|Brent|Kite}} |{{leagueicon|Manly Sea Eagles|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |{{Rlp|PR}} |{{cite news|title=Clive Churchill Medallist Brent Kite flies high in NRL grand final|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/kite-flies-high-as-top-eagle/story-e6frep9o-1111117670449|access-date=4 June 2012|newspaper=The Courier-Mail|date=5 October 2008}} |
| 2009
! scope=row |{{sortname|Billy|Slater}} (1) |{{leagueicon|Melbourne Storm|16}} Melbourne Storm |{{Rlp|FB}} |
| 2010
! scope=row |{{sortname|Darius|Boyd}} |{{leagueicon|St George Illawarra Dragons|16}} St. George Illawarra Dragons |{{Rlp|FB}} | last = Chammas | first = Michael | title = 2010 Clive Churchill winner Darius Boyd | work = Illawarra Mercury | place = Australia | publisher = Fairfax Media | date = 4 October 2010 | url = http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/2010-clive-churchill-winner-darius-boyd/1958382.aspx?storypage=0 | access-date = 4 October 2010}} |
| 2011
! scope=row |{{sortname|Glenn|Stewart}} |{{leagueicon|Manly Sea Eagles|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |{{Rlp|LK}} |{{cite news|last=AAP|author-link=Australian Associated Press|title=Hasler praises Churchill winner Stewart|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-02/hasler-praises-churchill-winner-stewart/3206062|access-date=4 June 2012|newspaper=ABC News|date=2 October 2011}} |
| 2012
! scope=row |{{sortname|Cooper|Cronk}} |{{leagueicon|Melbourne Storm|16}} Melbourne Storm |{{Rlp|HB}} |
| 2013
! scope=row style="background:#FBCEB1;" | {{sortname|Daly|Cherry-Evans}}^ |{{leagueicon|Manly Sea Eagles|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |{{Rlp|HB}} |
| 2014
! scope=row |{{sortname|Sam|Burgess}} |{{leagueicon|South Sydney Rabbitohs|16}} South Sydney Rabbitohs |{{Rlp|LK}} |
| 2015
! scope=row |{{sortname|Johnathan|Thurston}} |{{leagueicon|North Queensland|16}} North Queensland Cowboys |{{Rlp|HB}} |
| 2016
! scope=row |{{sortname|Luke|Lewis}} |{{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks |{{Rlp|SR}} |
| 2017
! scope=row |{{sortname|Billy|Slater}} (2) |{{leagueicon|Melbourne Storm|16}} Melbourne Storm |{{Rlp|FB}} |
| 2018
! scope=row |{{sortname|Luke|Keary}} |{{leagueicon|Sydney Roosters|16}} Sydney Roosters |{{Rlp|FE}} |
| 2019
! scope=row style="background:#FBCEB1;" | {{sortname|Jack|Wighton}}^ |{{leagueicon|Canberra raiders|16}} Canberra Raiders |{{Rlp|FE}} |
| 2020
! scope=row |{{sortname|Ryan|Papenhuyzen}} |{{leagueicon|Melbourne Storm|16}} Melbourne Storm |{{Rlp|FB}} |
| 2021
! scope=row |{{sortname|Nathan|Cleary}} |{{leagueicon|Penrith Panthers|16}} Penrith Panthers |{{Rlp|HB}} |
| 2022
! scope=row |Dylan Edwards |{{leagueicon|Penrith Panthers|16}} Penrith Panthers |{{Rlp|FB}} |
| 2023
! scope=row |{{sortname|Nathan|Cleary}} (2) |{{leagueicon|Penrith Panthers|16}} Penrith Panthers |{{Rlp|HB}} |
| 2024
! scope=row |{{sortname|Liam|Martin}} |{{leagueicon|Penrith Panthers|16}} Penrith Panthers |{{Rlp|SR}} |
=Retrospective awards=
As part of the Centenary of League celebrations in 2008, the Clive Churchill Medal has been retrospectively awarded for man-of-the-match performances from season 1954, the first to feature mandatory grand finals. The first recipient from the 1954 season is the man for which the award was originally named, Clive Churchill.{{cite news|author=James Dampney|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|title=Greats to get man-of-match awards |url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,24429346-5006066,00.html |access-date=3 January 2008|date=1 October 2008}}
Despite claims to the contrary at the time of the announcement of the retrospective medals that there had not been Man Of The Match awards for Grand Finals prior to 1986, this was not the case - there had been the Dave Brown Medal awarded at some stage, and, according to the NSWRL's official match day program, a new prize was awarded in 1971, with the winner named by reporters covering the game (the first was won by South Sydney's Ron Coote).{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}} In 1972 the award went to Manly half back Dennis Ward, and the following year, to Manly's Bob Fulton.{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}} In 1974, Arthur Beetson won the press writers award, and in 1975 it was Ian Schubert. The retrospective Clive Churchill Medals - either by coincidence or design - reflect those award winners.{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}}
In the replayed grand finals of 1977 and 1978, the award was based on efforts over the course of both games, although Manly-Warringah's Graham Eadie was a clear choice in 1978 after a dominating performance from fullback in the Grand Final replay.{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}}
| class="wikitable"
|+ Table key |style="background-color:#FBCEB1; width:3em"|^ |Player was member of losing team |
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:left;"
|+ Table of recipients |
| scope=col | Year
! scope=col | Recipient ! scope=col | Team ! scope=col | Position |
|---|
| 1954
! scope=row |{{sortname|Clive|Churchill}} |{{leagueicon|South Sydney Rabbitohs|16}} South Sydney Rabbitohs |Fullback |
| 1955
! scope=row |{{sortname|Jack|Rayner}} |{{leagueicon|South Sydney Rabbitohs|16}} South Sydney Rabbitohs |Second row |
| 1956
! scope=row |{{sortname|Kevin|Brown|dab=Australian rugby league}} |{{leagueicon|St George Dragons|16}} St George Dragons |Prop |
| 1957
! scope=row |{{sortname|Norm|Provan}} (1) |{{leagueicon|St George Dragons|16}} St George Dragons |Second row |
| 1958
! scope=row |{{sortname|Norm|Provan}} (2) |{{leagueicon|St George Dragons|16}} St George Dragons |Second row |
| 1959
! scope=row |{{sortname|Peter|Provan}} |{{leagueicon|St George Dragons|16}} St George Dragons |Lock |
| 1960
! scope=row |{{sortname|Monty|Porter}} |{{leagueicon|St George Dragons|16}} St George Dragons |Second row |
| 1961
! scope=row |{{sortname|Brian|Clay}} |{{leagueicon|St George Dragons|16}} St George Dragons |Five-eighth |
| 1962
! scope=row |{{sortname|Ian|Walsh|dab=rugby league}} |{{leagueicon|St George Dragons|16}} St George Dragons |Hooker |
| 1963
! scope=row |{{sortname|Norm|Provan}} (3) |{{leagueicon|St George Dragons|16}} St George Dragons |Second row |
| 1964
! scope=row |{{sortname|Graeme|Langlands}} |{{leagueicon|St George Dragons|16}} St George Dragons |Fullback |
| 1965
! scope=row |{{sortname|Kevin|Ryan|dab=rugby}} |{{leagueicon|St George Dragons|16}} St George Dragons |Prop |
| 1966
! scope=row |{{sortname|John|Raper}} |{{leagueicon|St George Dragons|16}} St George Dragons |Lock |
| 1967
! scope=row style="background:#FBCEB1;" | {{sortname|Les|Johns}}^ |{{leagueicon|Canterbury Bulldogs|16}} Canterbury-Bankstown |Fullback |
| 1968
! scope=row |{{sortname|Eric|Simms|dab=rugby league}} |{{leagueicon|South Sydney Rabbitohs|16}} South Sydney Rabbitohs |Fullback |
| 1969
! scope=row |{{sortname|Dave|Bolton}} |{{leagueicon|Balmain Tigers|16}} Balmain Tigers |Five-eighth |
| 1970
! scope=row |{{sortname|Bob|Grant|dab=rugby league}} |{{leagueicon|South Sydney Rabbitohs|16}} South Sydney Rabbitohs |Halfback |
| 1971
! scope=row |{{sortname|Ron|Coote}} |{{leagueicon|South Sydney Rabbitohs|16}} South Sydney Rabbitohs |Lock |
| 1972
! scope=row |{{sortname|Dennis|Ward|dab=rugby league}} |{{leagueicon|Manly Sea Eagles|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |Halfback |
| 1973
! scope=row |{{sortname|Bob|Fulton}} |{{leagueicon|Manly Sea Eagles|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |{{rlp|CE}} |
| 1974
! scope=row |{{sortname|Arthur|Beetson}} |{{leagueicon|Sydney Roosters|16}} Eastern Suburbs Roosters |Prop |
| 1975
! scope=row |{{sortname|Ian|Schubert}} |{{leagueicon|Sydney Roosters|16}} Eastern Suburbs Roosters |Fullback |
| 1976
! scope=row |{{sortname|Graham|Eadie}} (1) |{{leagueicon|Manly Sea Eagles|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |Fullback |
| 1977
! scope=row |{{sortname|Craig|Young|dab=rugby league}} |{{leagueicon|St George Dragons|16}} St George Dragons |Prop |
| 1978
! scope=row |{{sortname|Graham|Eadie}} (2) |{{leagueicon|Manly Sea Eagles|16}} Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |Fullback |
| 1979
! scope=row |{{sortname|Steve|Morris|dab=rugby league}} |{{leagueicon|St George Dragons|16}} St George Dragons |Halfback |
| 1980
! scope=row |{{sortname|Steve|Gearin}} |{{leagueicon|Canterbury Bulldogs|16}} Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs |{{rlp|WG}} |
| 1981
! scope=row |{{sortname|Bob|O'Reilly|dab=rugby league}} |{{leagueicon|Parramatta Eels|16}} Parramatta Eels |Prop |
| 1982
! scope=row |{{sortname|Brett|Kenny}} (1) |{{leagueicon|Parramatta Eels|16}} Parramatta Eels |Five-eighth |
| 1983
! scope=row |{{sortname|Brett|Kenny}} (2) |{{leagueicon|Parramatta Eels|16}} Parramatta Eels |Five-eighth |
| 1984
! scope=row |{{sortname|Peter|Kelly|dab=rugby league}} |{{leagueicon|Canterbury Bulldogs|16}} Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs |Prop |
| 1985
! scope=row |{{sortname|Steve|Mortimer}} |{{leagueicon|Canterbury Bulldogs|16}} Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs |Halfback |
Multiple winners
The following players have won the Clive Churchill Medal multiple times.
| class="wikitable"
! Medals !! Player !! Team !! Seasons | |||
| style="text-align:center;"|3 | Norm Provan | St George | 1957*, 1958*, 1963* |
| rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |2 | Manly-Warringah | 1976*, 1978* | |
| Brett Kenny | Parramatta | 1982*, 1983* | |
| Bradley Clyde | Canberra | 1989, 1991 | |
| Billy Slater
|2009, 2017 | |||
| Nathan Cleary
|2021, 2023 |
* Retrospective medals.
See also
{{Portal|Sports}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Clive Churchill Medallists}}
{{NRL}}
{{Rugby league in Australia}}
Category:Rugby league trophies and awards
Category:National Rugby League