# Syd Barker Medal

The Syd Barker Medal is awarded to the North Melbourne Football Club player who has been judged the best and fairest of the footy season. The award has been given out continuously since 1937. Before then it was known as the Syd Barker Memorial Trophy.
The award is named after Syd Barker who was a popular captain of the North Melbourne Football Club in 1915–1919, 1921 & 1927. He was a brilliant ruckmen of his time, starring in North Melbourne's 1910, 1914, 1915 and 1918 premiership sides, and captaining the famous "Invincibles" side that went undefeated in a record 58 games.
The voting system as of the 2017 AFL season, consists of each player earning up to 20 votes in a match, with votes from their best 20 games and finals counting towards their final total.

## Recipients

| ^ | Denotes current player |
| + | Player won Brownlow Medal in same season |
| Season | Recipient(s) |
| 1929 | Charles Cameron |
| 1930 | — |
| 1931 | — |
| 1932 | Jack Patterson |
| 1933 | — |
| 1934 | — |
| 1935 | Wally Carter |
| 1936 | Charlie Skinner |
| 1937 | Wally Carter (2) |
| 1938 | Jock Cordner |
| 1939 | Sid Dyer |
| 1940 | Jim Adamson |
| 1941 | Bill Findlay |
| 1941 | George Kennedy |
| 1942 | Jack Allister |
| 1943 | Don Kemp |
| 1944 | Alan Crawford |
| 1945 | Les Foote |
| 1946 | Don Condon |
| 1947 | Keith McKenzie |
| 1948 | Dally O'Brien |
| 1949 | Les Foote (2) |
| 1950 | Les Foote (3) |
| 1951 | Jock Spencer |
| 1952 | Jock McCorkell |
| 1953 | Jack O'Halloran |
| 1954 | John Brady |
| 1955 | Bob Brooker |
| 1956 | Jack Edwards |
| 1957 | Bryan Martyn |
| 1958 | Allen Aylett |
| 1959 | Allen Aylett (2) |
| 1960 | Allen Aylett (3) |
| 1961 | Laurie Dwyer |
| 1962 | Bill Serong |
| 1963 | Noel Teasdale |
| 1964 | Noel Teasdale (2) |
| 1965 | Noel Teasdale+ (3) |
| 1966 | Noel Teasdale (4) |
| 1967 | Laurie Dwyer (2) |
| 1968 | John Dugdale |
| 1969 | Sam Kekovich |
| 1970 | Barry Cable |
| 1971 | David Dench |
| 1972 | Ken Montgomery |
| 1973 | Barry Davis |
| 1974 | John Rantall |
| 1975 | Barry Davis (2) |
| 1976 | David Dench (2) |
| 1977 | David Dench (3) |
| 1978 | Malcolm Blight+ |
| 1979 | Gary Dempsey |
| 1980 | Keith Greig |
| 1981 | David Dench (4) |
| 1982 | Ross Glendinning |
| 1983 | Ross Glendinning+ (2) |
| 1984 | Kym Hodgeman |
| 1985 | Matthew Larkin |
| 1986 | Jim Krakouer |
| 1987 | Matthew Larkin (2) |
| 1988 | Matthew Larkin (3) |
| 1989 | Mick Martyn |
| 1990 | John Longmire |
| 1991 | Mick Martyn (2) |
| 1991 | Craig Sholl |
| 1992 | Wayne Carey |
| 1993 | Wayne Carey (2) |
| 1994 | Wayne Schwass |
| 1995 | Wayne Schwass (2) |
| 1996 | Wayne Carey (3) |
| 1997 | Anthony Stevens |
| 1998 | Wayne Carey (4) |
| 1999 | Anthony Stevens (2) |
| 2000 | Peter Bell |
| 2001 | Shannon Grant |
| 2002 | Adam Simpson |
| 2003 | Brent Harvey |
| 2004 | Brady Rawlings |
| 2005 | Brent Harvey (2) |
| 2006 | Brady Rawlings (2) |
| 2007 | Brent Harvey (3) |
| 2008 | Brent Harvey (4) |
| 2009 | Andrew Swallow |
| 2010 | Brent Harvey (5) |
| 2010 | Brady Rawlings (3) |
| 2011 | Andrew Swallow (2) |
| 2011 | Daniel Wells |
| 2012 | Andrew Swallow (3) |
| 2013 | Scott Thompson |
| 2013 | Daniel Wells (2) |
| 2014 | Ben Cunnington |
| 2015 | Todd Goldstein |
| 2016 | Robbie Tarrant |
| 2017 | Shaun Higgins |
| 2018 | Shaun Higgins (2) |
| 2019 | Ben Cunnington (2) |
| 2020 | Luke McDonald^ |
| 2021 | Jy Simpkin^ |
| 2022 | Jy Simpkin^ (2) |
| 2023 | Harry Sheezel^ |
| 2024 | Luke Davies-Uniacke^ |

## Multiple winners

| ^ | Denotes current player |
| Player | Medals | Seasons |
| Brent Harvey | 5 | 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010 |
| Wayne Carey | 4 | 1992, 1993, 1996, 1998 |
| David Dench | 4 | 1971, 1976, 1977, 1981 |
| Noel Teasdale | 4 | 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966 |
| Allen Aylett | 3 | 1958, 1959, 1960 |
| Les Foote | 3 | 1945, 1949, 1950 |
| Matthew Larkin | 3 | 1985, 1987, 1988 |
| Brady Rawlings | 3 | 2004, 2006, 2010 |
| Andrew Swallow | 3 | 2009, 2011, 2012 |
| Wally Carter | 2 | 1935, 1937 |
| Ben Cunnington | 2 | 2014, 2019 |
| Laurie Dwyer | 2 | 1961, 1967 |
| Ross Glendinning | 2 | 1982, 1983 |
| Shaun Higgins | 2 | 2017, 2018 |
| Mick Martyn | 2 | 1989, 1991 |
| Wayne Schwass | 2 | 1994, 1995 |
| Jy Simpkin^ | 2 | 2021, 2022 |
| Anthony Stevens | 2 | 1997, 1999 |
| Daniel Wells | 2 | 2011, 2013 |