Author: thefrownlowmedal

Australia's most prestigious inter-code award, celebrating the off-field achievements of players from NRL, A-League, AFL and Super Rugby. Incorporating The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame. Created and written by Kieran Blake.

Collingwood Magpies launch Fakebook.

Collingwood Football Club has launched a new social media platform called Fakebook after Jack Ginnivan and Isaac Quaynor were caught rating the attractiveness of women online.

Ginnivan and Quaynor have earned nominations for The Fronwlow Medal for the deleted Tik Tok post, and will spearhead the new social media platform created to rival Facebook.

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 Jarryd Hayne is the most recent recipient.

Fakebook will be like Facebook in every way, even in it’s creation.

“You know how Facebook was created?” asked Ginnivan at the launch of Fakebook at the MCG.

“By rating women,” explained Quaynor.

“That’s right,” they continued. “That Zuckerberg guy got dropped by his girlfriend or something, so he started a website rating the physical attractiveness of women on his college campus in the States – now it’s a mega corporation.”

“Well, we can rate the physical appearance of women online, so we started Fakebook with some help from the Magpies.”

The players created controversy when they filmed themselves laying in bed, rating the features of women as part of a viral game on TikTok.

“But we’re better than Zuckerberg,” they stated.

“See, we don’t just rate their appearance, we re-rate them after new information is revealed. Zuckerberg didn’t think of that.”

In the viral video, the players say things like:

“She’s a 10, but got some … teeth, like them teeth are going every which way, diagonal, everything,”

“F***** hell. Four.”

“She’s a nine and a half, but is homeless.”

“Two and a half.”

Magpies bosses, still on a high after Jordan De Goey’s latest Frownlow nomination, explained the decision to appoint Ginnivan and Quaynor as ambassadors of Fakebook.

“Ginnivan and Quaynor have proven their ability to rate women based purely on physical appearance, and this is why they will be the faces of the new platform.”

“Furthermore, the TikTok post is crass, immature, popular, lame, offensive, poorly-made and divisive, and this is exactly the kind of content which has made Facebook so successful. Fakebook will be even more successful because all of it’s content will be produced by professional footballers.”

The TikTok video which prompted the creation of Fakebook showed Ginnivan and Quaynor giving women constantly low ratings, which might explain why they’re lying in bed together shirtless.

Image: http://www.onlymelbourne.com.au

Jordan De Goey has had enough.

Jordan De Goey is fed up. He’s sick of it. He’s had enough.

The AFL player is sick and tired of being nominated for The Frownlow Medal again and again and never winning the award. For Jordan, enough is enough.

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 Jarryd Hayne is the most recent recipient.

De Goey is so angry at not winning the medal that he used a phrase/hashtag that is used to highlight entrenched gender inequality or the plight of mass shooting victims in the USA. On a recent social media rant attacking the media and other critics, he used the phrase ‘enough is enough’ to compare his plight to the plight of people who suffer some of the worst fate imaginable.

The post provoked a massive response from the media, De Goey’s fans, former players and many other people, but they all missed one important fact. What frustrates De Goey more than anything is not winning The Frownlow Medal.

“Enough is Enough,” he said.

“What else do I have to do?”

“I’ve been nominated so many times for this award and still no medal. Nothing.”

“Look, I got nominated in 2017, 2018 and 2020, then in 2021 I got nominated 3 times for three separate incidents, and now in 2022 I’ve got two nominations. Fair dinkum, what’s a guy gotta do?”

“Even this time, I put in the hard yards for a nomination. I went to Bali – which is full of drunken Aussie bogans – and where everyone ends up doing something stupid. Then I went to a club, I made all these rude gestures to the camera and it went viral. You think it’s easy doing that? You think it just happens? No, it takes planning, the right club, the right lighting, enough refreshments and the right time of the night to act like that – but still no medal. And then, at one point, someone in the video tries to get a chick to take her top off and expose her breasts when she’s lying on the bar, I mean, that’s basically sexual harassment if you think about it, but will I win the medal this year, who knows?”

“And even after that I cried about being mistreated by the media and created even more controversy. I mean, The Frownlow Medal lives off controversy, and I’ve given them enough controversy in the last few years…”

Is De Goey right. Has he done enough to win The Fronwlow Medal in 2022?

Image: Getty Images

Kerem Bulut gets supersized.

Former A-League player Kerem Bulut always wants more.

More action, more excitement, more adrenaline and more fries.

And more chances to be inducted into The Fronwlow Medal Hall of Fame.

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 Jarryd Hayne 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.

Bulut received his first Frownlow nomination for a variety of offences, and his second for demanding more fries.

The former Western Sydney Wanderers player was charged with intimidation in 2021 at Auburn McDonald’s in Sydney’s west. Sources claim Bulut and his friends argued with a staff member after Bulut tried to order more fries before the staff member could attempt to upsize him. The argument attracted police and Bulut was eventually granted conditional bail.

McDonald’s was a sponsor of the Wanderers at the time.

Bulut earned his first Frownlow nomination after being charged with assault, larceny and drug offences. He spent seven months in prison while awaiting trial for the for alleged assault of a man early in 2021. He was granted bail and forced to attend a drug rehabilitation program, as well as being told to report to police daily, avoid consuming drugs and alcohol, and to avoid any contact with the alleged victim.

The allegations stem from an alleged altercation with a man known to Bulut, who claims the former Young Socceroo assaulted him in an apartment in Sydney due to a dispute over $500. It is alleged that Bulut snatched the money from the man, and that seven months later the man demanded the money back, prompting the alleged assault.

It’s certainly a strange incident, but not the strangest incident which has resulted in a Fronwlow nomination. It’s also not known whether the alleged victim was eating, or in possession of, fries at the time.

The courts will also determine whether Bulut is guilty of assaulting a cellmate at Silverwater Prison while on remand in March 2021. The alleged victim was taken to hospital with a broken eye socket and bruising to his head.

While surrounding himself in controversy, the national junior representative also surrounded himself in glory. He scored seven goals in six games to win the Golden Boot at the 2010 AFC U/19 Championships, and he played for Australia at the 2011 FIFA U/20 World Cup. Unfortunately, his love of French Fries and his friends destroyed his international football career. He and other members of the Muslim Brotherhood Militants clashed with the police as far back as 2010, when Bulut was arrested for alleged offences including malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm; robbery in company; participate in criminal group; assist criminal activity, affray and intimidation of court witnesses.

Police alleged the victims were attacked with knives in a carpark in Auburn and suffered wounds to the head, torso and leg, and that this attack was part of an ongoing feud involving incidents in the Sydney CBD and Bondi Beach. The police case against Bulut was ultimately withdrawn as the witnesses were unwilling to give evidence in court. Seems like Bulut got his fries after all.

Strengthening Bulut’s bid for induction into The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame is the four year ban he received from Turkish football after testing positive for cocaine while playing for Menemen Belediye in 2018.

Image: NuNa

Football’s greatest bromance.

Help us find football’s greatest bromance. Help us choose the teammates who broke each other’s bones as well as each other’s hearts before kissing and making up for the sake of the team?

The Fronwlow Medal takes a close look at some of the most passionate pairings in Australian professional football and takes a trip down memory lane to highlight some of the most romantic Frownlow nominations in history.

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 Jarryd Hayne 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.

Football’s greatest bromances:

NRL

James Tedesco and Shannon Wakeman

Daly Cherry Evans and Jackson Hastings

Jamal Idris, Lee Te Maari and Ben Barba,

plus fellow Bulldogs Corey Allen and Jacob Kiraz

Brisbane Broncos:

Corey Oates and Justin Hodges

Payne Haas and Albert Kelly

Tom Flegler and Jordan Riki

Super Rugby

Matt Dunning and Des Tuiavi’i

Amanaki Mafi and Lopeti Timani

AFL

Steven May and Jake Melksham

No, Wayne Carey does not qualify for this particular award. He had a romance with his teammate’s wife, not his teammate.

West Coast Eagles:

Daniel Kerr and Ben Cousins

Daniel Connors and Ben Cousins

Daniel Chick and Andrew Embley (prompted by Ben Cousins)

Do you know of any football bromance, from Australia’s four major codes, which should be included in this list?

Image: Tyler Nix

Bailey Smith quits AFL.

Bailey Smith has shocked Australia with news that he will quit the AFL to deal with mental health issues following his latest off-field scandal.

Smith was recently punished for appearing in a social media post holding a bag of white powder, and he raised mental health battles when discussing the incident with the media. He has since quit the sport entirely to start a new career.

“I will step aside from the AFL immediately,” Smith announced through a prepared statement.

“I have made this difficult decision for reasons of mental health. My battles with mental health have been well documented, even after my latest off-field scandal and subsequent nomination for The Fronwlow Medal.”

His next career move was as big a shock as his decision to leave the sport.

“I will spend six months of the year as a school teacher and the next six months as a nurse, so that I can gain a more accurate understanding of mental health struggles,” the Western Bulldogs star explained.

“I will teach secondary students, most likely as a PD/H/PE teacher, for the remainder of this year. I chose teaching because I want to learn exactly what mental health struggles look like. I want to experience the constant drain of secondary school teaching in underfunded schools where teachers are overworked and underpaid and constantly under attack from parents and students. I want to understand the mental health strain on people who are vital to the nation but are completely undervalued and often criticised by Australian society, in contrast to footballers who are adored for simply playing a game they love.”

“On a personal note, I want to feel what it’s like to be ignored, teased, criticised or even physically attacked by teenagers, including some who’ll become professional footballers in a few years time. If you’d heard the stories the boys tell in the locker room about their school days, you’d know what I mean.”

Australians were just as shocked to learn that a person with no teaching experience or qualifications could simply walk into a full-time teaching position, but such is the shortage of teachers in Australia – created largely through the mental health strain placed on teachers.

After teaching for six months, Smith then plans to work as a nurse.

“I will work as a nurse for similar reasons,” he outlined.

“I want to truly understand the mental health strain of working an extremely stressful and underpaid job which was made a lot worse during the pandemic, and was bad enough before COVID-19.”

“I want to live through the emotional and psychological strain of caring for sick, injured, scared, smelly, dirty, abused, unstable, violent, dying people on a daily basis without proper remuneration or even adequate personal protection equipment.”

“I also want to be on the other side when a professional footballer abuses drugs or alcohol and has to be saved from themselves.”

Bailey then explained exactly why he had chosen these two careers above any other.

“Above all, I want to know what it’s like to be given gratitude instead of a reasonable wage.”

The nursing and teaching jobs will keep Smith out of the AFL until June 2023. Will the social media darling be back in the AFL, and back into contention for The Fronwlow Medal?

Only time will tell. Or maybe he will be back on the field once he reviews his bank balance.

Image: AAP, James Ross

Kerem Bulut is out of prison and into Frownlow contention.

Former A-League player Kerem Bulut can now attend the Frownlow awards night later this year after being released from prison.

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 Jarryd Hayne 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-Wanderers player has been nominated for The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame after being charged with assault, larceny and drug offences. He spent seven months in prison while awaiting trial for the for alleged assault of a man early in 2021. He was granted bail and forced to attend a drug rehabilitation program, as well as being told to report to police daily, avoid consuming drugs and alcohol, and to avoid any contact with the alleged victim.

The allegations stem from an alleged altercation with a man known to Bulut, who claims the former Young Socceroo assaulted him in an apartment in Sydney due to a dispute over $500. It is alleged that Bulut snatched the money from the man, and that seven months later the man demanded the money back, prompting the alleged assault.

It’s certainly a strange incident, but not the strangest incident which has resulted in a Fronwlow nomination.

The courts will also determine whether Bulut is guilty of assaulting a cellmate at Silverwater Prison while on remand in March 2021. The alleged victim was taken to hospital with a broken eye socket and bruising to his head.

Strengthening Bulut’s bid for induction into The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame is the four year ban he received from Turkish football after testing positive for cocaine while playing for Menemen Belediye in 2018.

Image: NuNa

More details emerge in Bailey Smith saga.

Bailey Smith‘s chances of winning The Frownlow Medal have increased after more details of his off-field behaviour emerged. The AFL star recently earned his first nomination for a controversial social media image but apparently this is not his first scandal.

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 Jarryd Hayne is the most recent recipient.

Smith recently hit the headlines when an image went viral on social media showing him holding a bag of white powder and smiling. It is not clear what is in the bag, and there is no evidence Smith consumed the substance. Since that controversy, more details have emerged which increase his chances of beating the 19 other nominees for The Frownlow Medal in 2022.

The viral image was apparently taken at a party in late 2021, and at the same time another photo was taken showing Smith ‘wiping his nose after leaning over’. The implications are strong, although again nothing has been proven, and perhaps the Western Bulldogs player simply had a cold.

This is not all, however.

At the time the photos were taken, Smith was apparently on a mental health break from AFL, but took that break after an investigation into complaints that he was behaving badly at a Gold Coast club and had to be spoken to by authorities.

Also in 2021, Smith created yet more controversy just moments into his young career. He appeared in another social media video boasting of his intention to pursue temporary connections with various women during a night out with friends, and said so in a way that was in not at all romantic.

The behaviour of a true role model.

The social media star surrounded himself in controversy even earlier in his career when photos of him emerged on the internet apparently naked, or close to naked. Smith was not responsible for the photos, which had been doctored by someone else, but he famously reacted to the scandal by posting an emoji of an eggplant, and his many social media followers know exactly what that means.

Smith and his legion of fans are anxious to know if he will face consequences for his latest scandal, but the most important question is, has he done enough to win The Frownlow Medal?

Image: AAP, James Ross

Kids should copy Bailey Smith.

AFL player Bailey Smith proved he is a great role model for young people after appearing in a viral social media image holding a bag of white powder and earning a nomination for The Frownlow Medal.

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 Jarryd Hayne is the most recent recipient.

Smith is one of the most popular and marketable faces of the AFL and is used in countless promotions for his club and the game of Australian Rules. He’s also not afraid to market himself and has the most social media followers of almost any Australian footballer. In addition, scores of Aussie kids try to grow their hair to emulate his famous flowing blonde mullet and this image appears in advertisements for the AFL and corporations.

The social media image shows Smith holding a small bag of an unknown white powder and smiling at the camera. There is no evidence that Smith in any way touched or consumed the powder, or exactly what is contained in the bag.

Once the AFL complete their investigation into the issue, Smith will find out if he faces any sanctions, and if he is a strong chance of winning the Frownlow in 2022.

The sporting ‘role model’ is no stranger to off field controversy, however. In 2021, he took a break from AFL after a late night police complaint was made against him at a pub on the Gold Coast. Following this incident, he did the inevitable media interview outlining his struggles with mental health. Perhaps the white powder helps him deal with his mental health issues. This incident also strengthens his nomination for this year’s Frownlow.

Smith might lose his title as ‘role model’, at least until the next AFL off-field scandal, but all is not lost. The video proves that he definitely deserves his invitation to the awards night for The Frownlow Medal and The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame later this year, where even the most mysterious substances are welcome.

Image: AAP, James Ross

Siosifa Talakai gets close to a blue jersey.

NRL player Siosifa Talakai was very close to a blue jersey a few weeks ago when police charged him with a driving offence and prompted his nomination for The Fronwlow Medal.

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 Jarryd Hayne is the most recent recipient.

On the eve of Origin selections, Talakai was caught driving on an expired licence in southern Sydney and was ordered to face court to defend the charge. The Cronulla Sharks centre then compounded the matter when he did not attend court and was issued with an arrest warrant.

Apparently, the Sharks didn’t know about the incident until informed by a news outlet, but later said that his no show was due to an ‘oversight’. The barnstorming centre was originally left out of the team to face the Warriors as a result of the matter, but was reinstated to the team and given permission to play.

Judges of The Fronwlow Medal hope Talakai accepts the invitation to attend the awards night for the medal and the hall of fame later this year, and stress that they will be very offended if he does not show up.

Image: Getty Images

Michael Fredrick lowers the tone.

AFL player Michael Frederick has been accused of tarnishing the reputation of The Fronwlow Medal after being suspended for drinking alcohol. The Fremantle Dockers rookie was punished by his leadership and forced to learn the history of the greatest prize in Australian sport.

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 Jarryd Hayne is the most recent recipient.

Frederick has been suspended for one match after consuming alcohol during a six-day break between games, which was regarded as a breach of agreed team standards. He also prompted the standard press release from his club about remorse, team standards, culture, support, moving forward…

Frederick will spend the week reading articles on this website and studying http://www.instagram.com/thefrownlowmedal to learn how a real Frownlow nominee should behave. While he is not being encouraged to assault or harass women, he will see that a true nomination involves much more alcohol, or offences such as illicit drug use, public urination, severe homophobia, racism, destruction of property, theft, manslaughter, prison sentences, drug trafficking, bestiality, gambling on your own game or pooing in a shoe.

He can then put into practice what he learned at the awards night for The Fronwlow Medal later this year.

Image: AFL Photos