Hawthorn Football Club’s best and fairest award was first introduced in 1925, the year Hawthorn joined the VFL.

The winner was decided by player votes until 1932 when the Hawthorn Committee took over this role. The coaching staff now awards the votes.

The Fred Phillips Honour Board was donated to the Club by F Craig Esq. in memory of Fred Phillips who was appointed coach in 1933 who unfortunately passed away before the start of the season. The Honour Board was to officially record the Hawthorn Best and Fairest winners, which were listed from 1933 on.

Club records indicate that the award was originally called the Best All Rounder, changing to Best and Fairest in 1926. It reverted back to its original name in 1928 and from 1929 it was known as the Best and Fairest award.  

In 1985 it was renamed the Club Champion and then changed to the Peter Crimmins Medal in 2004, as a tribute to Peter Crimmins who is considered to be the spirit of Hawthorn. The Match Committee now awards the votes.


Previous winners

YearWinner
2014Jordan Lewis
2013Josh Gibson
2012Sam Mitchell
2011Sam Mitchell
2010Luke Hodge
2009Sam Mitchell
2008Lance Franklin
2007Brad Sewell
2006Sam Mitchell
2005Luke Hodge
2004Peter Everitt
2003Shane Crawford
2002Shane Crawford
2001Joel Smith
2000Daniel Chick, Nick Holland
1999Shane Crawford
1998Shane Crawford
1997Paul Salmon
1996Paul Salmon
1995Darren Jarman
1994John Platten
1993Jason Dunstall
1992Jason Dunstall
1991Ben Allen
1990Andy Collins
1989Jason Dunstall
1988Jason Dunstall
1987John Platten
1986Gary Ayres
1985Dermott Brereton
1984Russell Greene
1983Terry Wallace
1982Leigh Matthews
1981Terry Wallace
1980Leigh Matthews
1979Kelvin Moore
1978Leigh Matthews, Peter Knights
1977Leigh Matthews
1976Leigh Matthews
1975Peter Knights
1974Leigh Matthews
1973Don Scott
1972Leigh Matthews
1971Leigh Matthews
1970Peter Hudson
1969Robert Keddie
1968Peter Hudson
1967Robert Keddie
1966Ray Wilson
1965David Parkin
1964Ian Law
1963Ian Law
1962Graham Arthur
1961Ian Law
1960Brendan Edwards
1959Allan Woodley
1958Graham Arthur
1957Alf Hughes
1956Roy Simmonds
1955Graham Arthur
1954John Kennedy
1953Ted Fletcher
1952John Kennedy
1951John Kennedy
1950John Kennedy
1949Col Austen
1948Kevin Curran
1947Wally Culpitt
1946Alec Albiston
1945Jim Bohan
1944Jack Blackman
1943Jim Bohan
1942Jack Barker
1941Alec Albiston
1940Andy Angwin
1939Bert Mills
1938Stan Spinks
1937Leo Murphy
1936Leo Murphy
1935Bert Mills
1934Ernie Loveless
1933Bert Mills
1932Stan Spinks
1931Unknown
1930John Sharpley
1929Ernest Utting
1928Miles Sellers
1927Ernest Utting
1926Unknown
1925Fred Finch