Australia’s golden girl Sam Kerr has shocked the nation after receiving a nomination for The Frownlow Medal.
Kerr has been charged with racial vilification and is now in the running to win an award reserved for Australia’s most infamous footballers, including her own brother Daniel.
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 star Talatau Amone is the most recent recipient.
Kerr is the injured captain of Australia’s most beloved sporting team, which fills stadiums at almost every home game and is praised for its wholesome image. Matildas players are applauded for shunning the scandalous behaviour of their male counterparts and female players from other codes – but this has all changed.
The star striker will face trial in the UK after being accused of racially aggravated harassment of a police officer. She faces charges of using insulting threatening or abusive words that caused alarm or distress to an officer. It is believed the incident centres on a dispute over a taxi fare in London in late January 2023.
She has pleaded not guilty and will face court in 2025.
Aussies are shocked at the revelations, and also at the fact that the Chelsea star and Daniel have become the first brother/sister combination to be nominated for Frownlow honours.
What did her brother do?
Too many acts to mention here, but let’s just say he was a close friend of Ben Cousins.
Kerr is set to miss the Paris 2024 Olympic Games due to her ACL injury, and it seems that now all she has to look forward to is the awards night for The Frownlow Medal and hall of fame later this year. At least she can ask Daniel what to expect.
Image: NuNa
The Frownlow Medal 