Patrick Cripps will become the youngest player in Carlton history to win back-to-back best-and-fairest medals should he be crowned the 2016 John Nicholls Medallist.
Proudly presented by Hyundai, Carlton will host the annual John Nicholls Medal at Crown Palladium on Friday night.
Just five players – Bruce Comben (1957-’58), John James (1960-’61), John Nicholls (1966-’68) Geoff Southby (1971-’72) and Chris Judd (2008-‘10) – have received Carlton’s highest individual honour in successive years.
Southby currently stands as the youngest to go back-to-back, but the Carlton legend will be eclipsed by just over seven months if Cripps takes out the 2016 John Nicholls Medal at the age of 21 years and 176 days.
The Blues’ best-and-fairest award began in 1929, before taking a four-year hiatus and being renamed the Robert Reynolds Trophy from 1934-2003.
Since 2004, it has been named the John Nicholls Medal in honour of the Blues’ former No.2, who won the best and fairest a club-record five times.
Champion defender Bruce Doull ranks second with four best-and-fairest awards, ahead of Craig Bradley, Brett Ratten, James and Judd (three).
The 2016 John Nicholls Medal begins at 7pm from Crown Palladium on Friday night. Click here for a guide.
CARLTON'S BEST-AND-FAIREST WINNERS:
| 1929 | Horrie Clover |
| 1934 | Cresswell Crisp |
| 1935 | Jim Francis |
| 1936 | Edward Clarke |
| 1937 | Don McIntyre |
| 1938 | Cresswell Crisp |
| 1939 | Frank Gill |
| 1940 | Jim Francis |
| 1941 | Bob Chitty |
| 1942 | Jim Mooring |
| 1943 | George Gniel |
| 1944 | Bob Chitty |
| 1945 | Ron Savage |
| 1946 | Jack Howell |
| 1947 | Bert Deacon */Ern Henfry |
| 1948 | Jack Howell |
| 1949 | Ern Henfry |
| 1950 | Arthur Hodgson |
| 1951 | Jim Clark |
| 1952 | Ollie Grieve |
| 1953 | Ken Hands |
| 1954 | Bill Milroy |
| 1955 | John James |
| 1956 | Doug Beasy |
| 1957 | Bruce Comben |
| 1958 | Bruce Comben |
| 1959 | John Nicholls |
| 1960 | John James |
| 1961 | John James * |
| 1962 | Sergio Silvagni |
| 1963 | John Nicholls |
| 1964 | Gordon Collis * |
| 1965 | John Nicholls |
| 1966 | John Nicholls |
| 1967 | John Nicholls |
| 1968 | Sergio Silvagni |
| 1969 | Garry Crane |
| 1970 | Adrian Gallagher |
| 1971 | Geoff Southby |
| 1972 | Geoff Southby |
| 1973 | Peter Jones |
| 1974 | Bruce Doull |
| 1975 | Alex Jesaulenko |
| 1976 | Trevor Keogh |
| 1977 | Bruce Doull |
| 1978 | Trevor Keogh |
| 1979 | Mike Fitzpatrick |
| 1980 | Bruce Doull |
| 1981 | Ken Hunter |
| 1982 | Jim Buckley |
| 1983 | Wayne Johnston |
| 1984 | Bruce Doull |
| 1985 | Justin Madden |
| 1986 | Craig Bradley/Wayne Johnston |
| 1987 | Stephen Kernahan |
| 1988 | Craig Bradley |
| 1989 | Stephen Kernahan |
| 1990 | Stephen Silvagni |
| 1991 | Justin Madden |
| 1992 | Stephen Kernahan |
| 1993 | Craig Bradley |
| 1994 | Greg Williams * |
| 1995 | Brett Ratten |
| 1996 | Stephen Silvagni |
| 1997 | Brett Ratten |
| 1998 | Fraser Brown |
| 1999 | Matthew Allan |
| 2000 | Scott Camporeale/Brett Ratten |
| 2001 | Anthony Koutoufides |
| 2002 | Corey McKernan |
| 2003 | Andrew McKay |
John Nicholls Medal
| 2004 | David Teague |
| 2005 | Anthony Koutoufides |
| 2006 | Lance Whitnall |
| 2007 | Andrew Carrazzo |
| 2008 | Chris Judd |
| 2009 | Chris Judd |
| 2010 | Chris Judd * |
| 2011 | Marc Murphy |
| 2012 | Heath Scotland |
| 2013 | Kade Simpson |
| 2014 | Bryce Gibbs |
| 2015 | Patrick Cripps |
*denotes Brownlow Medallist
