History of the QAFL Grand Final Best on Ground – The Joe Grant Medal

Former Windsor-Zillmere star player Andrew Martyn will present the 2023 Joe Grant Medal to the player judged Best on Ground at the QAFL Grand Final on Saturday September 16^th.  The Joe Grant Medal has been presented to the Best on Ground in the QAFL Grand Final since 1981.

It was 35 years ago in the 1988 QAFL Grand Final that the key defender, was awarded the Joe Grant Medal himself, this time as a Centre Half Forward, in a 23-point win against rivals Southport Sharks.

The medal was named after Joe Grant, Queensland’s first full-time football administrator. Originally from Pyramid Hill in central Victoria, north of Bendigo, he was a loyal Fitzroy man but moved to Brisbane in the early ‘50s. His appointment as secretary of the QAFL in 1958 was a significant advancement for the code’s administration and held that position until 1980.

His exemplary service to the game was acknowledged with the naming of the QAFL Best on Ground medal in his honour for 1981 onwards.

Other notable winners of the Joe Grant Medal include Southport Legend Zane Taylor who was named Best on Ground in 1983 and 1990,  Footscray Brownlow Medalist Gary Dempsey in 1987 with Southport in one of the all-time great Grand Finals, and current Collingwood star Jack Crisp in 2013.

In recent seasons Matthew Payne was the winner in 2020 whilst playing at Morningside to coincide with his premiership medal and Grogan Medal in what capped off a remarkable season for one of Queensland’s all-time great players.

Rebounding defender Liam Nelson played a major role in the Broadbeach breaking a 25-year premiership drought to win for the cats over Maroochydore. He took home the Best on Ground in 2021.

Aspley’s Liam Dawson who had a team high of 24 disposals and 13 contested marks including 11 intercepts was brilliant in defense for the Hornets in their inaugural QAFL premiership win in 2022.