Famous Rugby League ‘fixer’ Lou Zivanovic has convinced the judges of The Frownlow Medal to nominate him as a candidate for induction into the Hall of Fame.
The former Panthers player used money and bullying to try to silence Bryce Cartwright’s ex-girlfriend and to force her to abort Cartwright’s child. He was also involved in a very public facebook battle with his estranged ex-wife in 2014.
The Frownlow Medal is awarded to the player whose off-field demeanour epitomises the values of the modern day footballer and draws attention to the status of footballers as role models to young Australians. It covers Australia’s four major football codes; the National Rugby League (NRL), Australian Football League (AFL), the A-League (Football) and Rugby Union’s Super Rugby competition. Kiwi international and Sydney Roosters player Shaun Kenny Dowall won the inaugural medal in 2015, while Corey Norman from the Parramatta Eels won in 2016.
The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame honours former players and players who received media attention in previous seasons, for similarly scandalous behaviour, and its inductees include Ben Cousins and Todd Carney.
Zivanovic is believed to have offered Frownlow judges substantial amounts of cash, a life time supply of Oak flavoured milk, an evening with Phil Gould and front row seats at all Panthers games in return for a nomination.
When those tactics failed, Zivanovic allegedly bullied the judges with threats of violence and free tickets to The Footy Show.
As a last resort, he even offered judges a role as extras in the hit US TV series, Ray Donovan.
Former footballing greats will be inducted into The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame later in the year.
Image:Nuna
First published in March 2017.
The Frownlow Medal 