Who is the only Carlton footballer to have won both the Robert Reynolds Trophy and John Nicholls Medal for club best and fairest?

The answer is of course Anthony Koutoufides, whose 2001 and 2005 individual victories bookended the coveted award’s rebranding in 2004 - the year Bullants coach David Teague was adjudged the inaugural John Nicholls Medallist.

While “Kouta” quite rightly rates his 1995 premiership medallion as his most cherished, the two B & F baubles sit pretty comfortably alongside even if the man has offloaded the first to his dear mother Anna.

“Mum has the Robert Reynolds Trophy and I’ve got the John Nicholls Medal,” Koutoufides declared, “and each is hanging over our mantelpieces. The (AFLPA 2000) MVP is also on display, but the premiership medal takes pride of place . . . that’s the one.”

Ironically, Koutoufides, a 278-game player over 16 seasons for Carlton, cites the 2000 season as his best, even though Scott Camporeale and current coach Brett Ratten emerged the joint victors in the count.

As he explained: “I got injured that year, which set me back a bit, but don’t get me wrong – ‘Campo’ and ‘Ratts’ had magnificent seasons”.

By 2001, and having experienced his first major setback with knee injury, Koutoufides found rare form under coach Wayne Brittain – only to collapse again with serious knee damage in what was, until recently, his team’s last finals appearance, the 1st semi-final against Richmond at the MCG.

Then in 2005, with Denis Pagan the resident coach, Koutoufides in midfield quite literally led from the front.

“I was 32 then, I was appointed captain, I was happy to receive it and I really enjoyed it, even though it was tough losing – which made it harder trying to gee the boys up.”

Koutoufides, who was also runner-up in the best and fairest in 1999 and 2003, and the AFLPA’s MVP in 2000, will be on hand at Crown Palladium this Monday night to present both the best first year player and best clubman awards, as part of the 2009 John Nicholls Medal count, which is a sell-out.

You can follow all the action of the 2009 John Nicholls Medal on-line at carltonfc.com.au