West Derby Medal Honors Inaugural Captains

and Shannon Hurn (pictured) and Dachers Lachie Neale winner of the medal earlier this season

The best player of each West Derby will win the Glendinning-Allan medal after the West Coast and Fremantle will finally be heard on the name of the award.

The name now recognizes the first captains of both clubs, Ross Glendinning of West Coast and Ben Allan of Fremantle, and puts an end to the bitter dispute between the rivals.

Both clubs had been stuck in an unpleasant disagreement about the previous name of the medal, the "Ross Glendinning Medal", in preparation for their clash in April of this year.

The Dockers had even threatened not to award the medal to the best player of this match, CEO Steve Rosich claiming that he did not represent b Glendinning had been the president of the coaches of Fremantle, but he was best known for his role as inaugural captain of the West Coast.

"While we recognize Ross Glendinning as a great Western Australian player and Brownlow medalist, he is the first captain of West Coast and a current and visible ambbadador of the employees and brands of our derby opponents "However, the best player in the Western derbies will now compete for the" Glendinning-Allan "medal on both sides. agreed on the change of name of the medal before their meeting of the 20th round.

"The WAFC believes that this is a fair and appropriate result for both clubs that recognize their inaugural captains and continues to respect the tradition of presenting a medal to the best player." Murray McHenry, WAFC President, said:

Glendinning will hand the medal to the best player of all West Coast home derbies, while Allan will present the prize after all.

The medal was first presented in 2001, although 12 retrospective award winners – dating back to 1995 – are on hand to collect the Glendinning-Allan Medals at the Optus Stadium prior to the West Coast clash with Fremantle.