Former Wallaby Warwick Waugh has been nominated for The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame after being caught drink driving. Waugh recorded a mid-range alcohol reading as he was on his way home from a charity fundraiser.
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. NRL player Shaun Kenny-Dowall won the inaugural medal in 2015, while NRL player Ben Barba is the most recent recipient.
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 Julian O’Neill.
The ex Randwick and Australian representative was fined $800 as a result of the offence, and was ordered to have an interlock device fitted to his car.
The talented forward will no doubt be elated to have earned a nomination for Australia’s most prestigious sporting award, but should not assume that he will be inducted. He joins 30 other former footballers in contention for the hall of fame in 2020. They include past AFL players Heath Scotland, who was nominated for assault, and David Dench and Aaron Lord, who were found guilty of fraud. Another former AFL player, Justin Murphy, was found guilty of violence against women, the same alleged offence which led to nominations for ex NRL players Sam Burgess and Wes Naiqama.
Waugh, meanwhile, will not be the only nominee taking a taxi to the awards night for The Frownlow Medal and The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame later this year.
Image: NuNa
The Frownlow Medal 