This week marks the 25th anniversary of Gavin Brown’s first E.J. Whitten Medal.
The 21-year-old Brown, wearing the unfamiliar No. 9 jumper, received the honour after gathering 29 disposals in Victoria’s 86-point win over South Australia in front of more than 90,000 fans at the MCG.
Brown played in 11 games for Victoria during his 14 year career and went on to win a second E.J. Whitten Medal while captaining the Big V against South Australia in 1997.
The match in 1989 was remarkable for the crowd, the glue-pot in the middle of the MCG and Victoria’s star-studded forward line that featured Tony Lockett, Jason Dunstall and Dermott Brereton.
The final State of Origin match was played in 1999.
Victoria 22.17 (149)
South Australia 9.9 (63)
Goals – Victoria: Lockett 5, Dunstall 4, Brereton 3, Bruns 2, T.Daniher 2, Weightman, D.Murphy, Scott, Bews, Watson, Pritchard
South Australia: Kernahan 4, A.Jarman 2, Smith 2, Lindner
Best – Victoria: Brown, T.Daniher, Dunstall, Pritchard, Lyon, Madden, Collins, Lockett
South Australia: A.Jarman, Kernahan, Bradley
E.J. Whitten Medal: Gavin Brown
The E.J.Whitten Medal, awarded to the best Victorian player in State of Origin matches, wisas named after Victorian champion Ted Whitten, who played 29 matches for the state.
Fos Williams Medal: Andrew Jarman
The Fos Williams Medal, awarded by the South Australian National Football League to the best player for South Australia in State of Origin matches, is named after the legendary SANFL player and coach Fos Williams..
Victorian Squad: 1. Simon Madden (c), 2. Dale Weightman, 3. Paul Couch, 4. Andrew Collins, 5. David Murphy, 6. Barry Mitchell, 8. Robert Scott, 9. Gavin Brown, 10. Neville Bruns, 11. Darrin Pritchard, 13. Andrew Bews, 14. Tim Watson, 15. Brett Lovett, 16. Shane Morwood, 17. Tim Darcy, 18. Barry Stoneham, 19. Jason Dunstall, 21. Terry Daniher, 22. Garry Lyon, 23. Dermott Brereton, 24. Chris Langford, 26. Tony Lockett
Coach: Bill Goggin
South Australian squad: 1. Mark Mickan, 2. Bruce Lindner, 3. John Platten, 4. Stephen Kernahan, 5. Bruce Abernethy, 6. Mark Naley, 7. Tony McGuinness, 8. Michael Aish (c), 9. Greg Whittlesea, 11. Peter Bubner, 15. Darren Jarman, 16. Tony Hall, 18. Steven Stretch, 19. Danny Hughes, 20. Greg Phillips, 21. Craig Bradley, 24. Darren Smith, 26. Greg Anderson, 27. Andrew Jarman, 29. Roger Delaney, 32. Bruce Lindsay, 35. Michael Redden
Coach: John Cahill
Crowd: 91,960 at the MCG.
25 years since Brown's Medal
This week marks the 25th anniversary of Gavin Brown’s first E.J. Whitten Medal, won in front of a crowd of more than 90,000 at the MCG.
