Fifth place in the Copeland Trophy on Friday night will win an award named in honour of a former Magpie known as the ‘Prince of Full Backs’.

Jack Regan played 196 games for Collingwood between 1930 and 1946. He was a two-time premiership player, a Best and Fairest winner and club captain for three seasons in the early 1940s.

Perhaps more important to his legacy, Regan was considered by many as a defender who revolutionised the role of a full back to include towering marks and long kicks out of the back line.

Service in World War II interrupted the end of Regan’s career, before he retired on 196 games at the end of the 1046 season. The ‘Prince of Full Backs’ would return to Collingwood later in life – as the club’s secretary from 1969 to 1977.

The man behind the award – Learn more about Jack Regan on Collingwood Forever.

PAST WINNERS
The 2017 Copeland Trophy will mark the 16th year the player with the fifth amount of votes will take home the Jack Regan Trophy.

Fittingly in regards to the man it’s named after, a host of defenders have won the award in recent years. Harry O’Brien/Heritier Lumumba is the only two-time recipient, while Leon Davis (as a defender in 2011), Nick Maxwell and Jeremy Howe are also winners.

JACK REGAN TROPHY WINNERS
As 5th place-getter
1996: Tony Francis
1997: Scott Russell
1998: Graham Wright
1999: Simon Prestigiacomo

As the Jack Regan Trophy
2000: No award
2001: Tarkyn Lockyer
2002: No award
2003: Josh Fraser
2004: Brodie Holland
2005: No award
2006: No award
2007: No award
2008: Harry O'Brien
2009: No award
2010: Luke Ball
2011: Leon Davis
2012: Nick Maxwell
2013: Heritier Lumumba
2014: Brent Macaffer
2015: Steele Sidebottom
2016: Jeremy Howe

LAST FIVE WINNERS

2012: Nick Maxwell (20 games, 2 goals)


2013: Heritier Lumumba (19 games, 7 goals)


2014: Brent Macaffer (21 games, 4 goals)


2015: Steele Sidebottom (16 games, 7 goals)


2016: Jeremy Howe (20 games, 3 goals)