Johnny Warren Medal

The Johnny Warren Medal is awarded to the best player of the Australian national soccer club competition. It was first awarded in the National Soccer League in 1990, and upon the NSL's demise in November 2004, was carried forward into the new national club competition, the A-League. It is named after former Australia national soccer team captain and tireless promoter of soccer in Australia, Johnny Warren.

The medal was previously determined by the votes of current players after rounds 9, 18 and 27. ^[1] The format was changed for the 2015-16 A-League season following consultation with all A-League clubs, the PFA and the Warren family. ^[1]

For the 2015–16 A-League season to determine the medal a new four body panel was introduced that independently vote on a 3–2–1 basis after each regular season match, which is consolidated into a single 3–2–1 vote. The four body panel consists of: ^[2]

1. A technical football expert;
2. A football media representative;
3. A former professional player representative; and
4. A combined vote from the match officials.

The eligible player(s) who receive the most votes for the regular season will determine the winner of the medal.

Since 2016 the award has been presented jointly with the Julie Dolan Medal at an event known as the Warren – Dolan Awards, where both A-League and W-League awards are presented. ^[3]

Eligibility

A player is ineligible to win the medal if they are: ^[2]

• suspended as a result of receiving a direct red card in a match;
• suspended as a result of a determination of a body under the Hyundai A-League Disciplinary Regulations;
• convicted of an anti-doping offence;
• found guilty of serious misconduct;
• a Guest Player; and/or
• found guilty of breaching an FFA Statute.

List of winners

NSL

Year	Player	Club	Ref.
1989–90	Željko Adžić	Melbourne Croatia	[4]
1990–91	Milan Ivanovic	Adelaide City	[5]
1991–92	Josip Biskic	Melbourne CSC	[6]
1992–93	Paul Trimboli	South Melbourne	[5]
1993–94	Mark Viduka	Melbourne Knights	[7]
1994–95	Mark Viduka	Melbourne Knights	[7]
1995–96	Damian Mori	Adelaide City	[8]
1996–97	Kresimir Marusic	Sydney United	[9]
1997–98	Paul Trimboli	South Melbourne	[5]
1998–99	Brad Maloney	Marconi-Fairfield	[5]
1999–2000	Scott Chipperfield	Wollongong Wolves	[10]
2000–01	Scott Chipperfield	Wollongong Wolves	[11]
2001–02	Fernando Rech	Brisbane Strikers	[12]
2002–03	Damian Mori	Perth Glory	[8]
2003–04	Ante Milicic	Parramatta Power	[13]

A-League

Year	Player	Club	Ref.
2005–06	Bobby Despotovski	Perth Glory	[14]
2006–07	Nick Carle	Newcastle Jets	[15]
2007–08	Joel Griffiths	Newcastle Jets	[16]
2008–09	Shane Smeltz	Wellington Phoenix	[17]
2009–10	Carlos Hernández	Melbourne Victory	[18]
2010–11	Marcos Flores	Adelaide United	[19]
2011–12	Thomas Broich	Brisbane Roar	[20]
2012–13	Marco Rojas	Melbourne Victory	[21]
2013–14	Thomas Broich	Brisbane Roar	[22]
2014–15	Nathan Burns	Wellington Phoenix	[23]
2015–16	Diego Castro	Perth Glory	[24]
2016–17	Miloš Ninković	Sydney FC	[25]
2017–18	Adrian Mierzejewski	Sydney FC	[26]
2018–19	Roy Krishna	Wellington Phoenix	[27]
2019–20	Alessandro Diamanti	Western United	[28]
2020–21	Ulises Dávila	Wellington Phoenix	[29]
	Miloš Ninković	Sydney FC
2021–22	Jake Brimmer	Melbourne Victory	[30]
2022–23	Craig Goodwin	Adelaide United	[31]
2023–24	Josh Nisbet	Central Coast Mariners	[32]

Multiple winners

The following players have won the Johnny Warren Medal multiple times.

Medals	Player	Team	Seasons
2	Thomas Broich	Brisbane Roar	2011–12, 2013–14
	Scott Chipperfield	Wollongong Wolves	1999–00, 2000–01
	Damian Mori	Perth Glory, Adelaide City	1995–96, 2002–03
	Miloš Ninković	Sydney FC	2016–17, 2020–21
	Paul Trimboli	South Melbourne	1992–93, 1997–98
	Mark Viduka	Melbourne Knights	1993–94, 1994–95

See also

• John Kosmina Medal
• Joe Marston Medal
• Mark Viduka Medal
• Michael Cockerill Medal

References

1. "FFA expands Johnny Warren Medal voting panel". Hyundai A-League. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
2. "About FFA Football Federation Australia Awards Voting". Football Federation Australia. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
3. "FFA announces Dolan Warren Awards 2016". Football Federation Australia. 19 March 2016. Archived from the original on 27 October 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
4. "Adzic the player's player". Melbourne Knights. 26 May 1990.
5. Comito, Matt (25 May 2023). "Where are they now? Every Johnny Warren medal winner, from winery owner to agent". Keep Up.
6. "Biskic's Reward". Melbourne Knights. 9 May 1992.
7. "Mark Viduka". Sport Australia Hall of Fame . Retrieved 3 June 2023. In Viduka's two seasons with the Melbourne Knights, he took out the Johnny Warren Medal for Player of the Year, Under 21 Player of the Year and the top goal scorer with 16 goals in the 1993/94 season and 21 in the 1994/95 season.
8. "Mori tops poll in a week of Glory". The Age . 5 June 2003.
9. Kulas, Damir (30 August 2016). "Days of pride and celebration: Melbourne Knights' glory years – Part II". The Corner Flag. ...with Marusic winning the 1997 Johnny Warren Medal while at Sydney United.
10. "Interview Scott Chipperfield". Socceroos . Football Federation Australia. 28 June 2000. Winner of the WARREN MEDAL, as Player Of The Year.
11. "Chippers - A more than deserving Hall of Famer". Socceroos . Football Federation Australia. 6 December 2012. Two titles with his beloved Wolves, two Johnny Warren Medals...
12. "Strikers History". Brisbane Strikers . Retrieved 3 June 2023. Johnny Warren Medal: Fernando Rech (2001–02)
13. "Milicic takes Warren Medal". The Age . 3 April 2004.
14. Gatt, Ray (14 March 2006). "Despotovski named player of the year". The Australian– via NewsBank.
15. Henderson, Philip (27 February 2007). "Carle trumps Victory trio". Fox Sports . Archived from the original on 2 March 2007. Retrieved 3 January 2007.
16. "Griffiths wins Johnny Warren Medal". ABC News . 27 February 2008.
17. "Smeltz wins Johnny Warren Medal". The Sydney Morning Herald . 3 February 2009.
18. "Hernández wins Johnny Warren Medal". ABC News . 15 February 2009. Archived from the original on 4 August 2012.
19. Bernard, Grantlay (7 March 2011). "United's Marcos Flores wins Johnny Warren medal". Herald Sun. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
20. FitzGibbon, Liam (10 April 2012). "Brisbane Roar import Thomas Broich wins Johnny Warren Medal at A-League awards function in Sydney". foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
21. Davutovic, David (15 April 2013). "Melbourne Victory star Marco Rojas wins Johnny Warren Medal for A-League Player of the Year". The Advertiser . Archived from the original on 27 June 2013.
22. "Thomas Broich wins second A-League player of the season". The Guardian . 28 April 2014.
23. "Hyundai A-League/Westfield W-League award winners". Football Federation Australia. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
24. "Glory star Castro wins Johnny Warren medal". Football Federation Australia. 26 April 2016.
25. "Milos Ninkovic wins Johnny Warren Medal". The World Game . SBS. 1 May 2017.
26. Smithies, Tom (30 April 2018). "Dolan Warren Awards: Mierzejewski wins Johnny Warren; Kerr, Polkinghorn split the Dolan". The Daily Telegraph .
27. "Wellington Phoenix's Roy Krishna adds Johnny Warren Medal to A-League Golden Boot". Stuff.co.nz . 13 May 2019.
28. "Western United's Alessandro Diamanti wins A-League's Johnny Warren Medal". ABC News . 10 September 2020.
29. Monteverde, Marco (23 June 2021). "A-League: Milos Ninkovic and Ulises Davila share Johnny Warren medal honours". The Australian .
30. Lewis, Samantha (26 May 2022). "Fiona Worts and Jake Brimmer take out A-Leagues' top gongs at 2021/22 Dolan Warren Awards". ABC News .
31. Monteverde, Marco (1 June 2023). "Adelaide United captain Craig Goodwin secures Johnny Warren Medal after stellar season". news.com.au .
32. Monteverde, Marco (25 May 2024). "Central Coast Mariners midfielder Josh Nisbet wins Johnny Warren Medal". news.com.au .

External links

• Oz Football – NSL Individual Award Winners