But when you reflect on the story of a true hero, there’s little wonder the Jason McCartney Jumper Award is held in the highest regard.
Strength and courage are the pre-requisites for winning, and while nothing on the football field can equal the sheer will and determination shown by McCartney, it is by all means, the ultimate honour.
Flashback to 2003 when there was an explosion in a bar in Bali. McCartney put his life at risk, helping two sisters to safety. His team-mate Mick Martyn took him to hospital, but with burns to 60 per cent of his body, McCartney almost died on the operating table.
He fought through blood poisoning and spent five days in a coma. Somehow, he survived.
Remarkably, he remained resilient and looked to the future, with his wedding day just two months away. He never gave up on playing again for his beloved Kangaroos.
It was easier said than done. Bloated from the burns, with almost his whole body in a cast, football looked a million miles away.
His surgeon, at times, doubted he’d survive. His heart, kidney and lungs were stressed, his skin delicate from the burns.
McCartney was told it’d take at least two years to get back to full health. But he defied the odds.
PRESS PLAY above to watch McCartney’s story | YouTube
Wrapped in protective garments, he returned to training. A new coach (Dean Laidley) wasn’t going to gift him games. Despite performing strongly at Port Melbourne in the VFL, any opportunity didn’t come his way.
The physical demands were starting to take their toll. McCartney struggled to get up each week, as a shrapnel wound in his calf become a lingering problem. Then a cruel blow; his calf tore and his dream of returning to AFL was put on hold.
It was all getting too hard. McCartney seriously considered retirement.
A break allowed him to re-think and not having to patch up any wounds that opened up after a game or training gave him a new lease on life. He continued his fight to return.
McCartney continued to work hard and push for a senior recall - eventually his moment came. Laidley told him the news, and the once impossible dream had become a reality.
Eight months after almost losing his life, he would play against Richmond.
More than 43,000 people were there and it became one of the most memorable matches in the game’s history.
McCartney himself had just three touches, but the manner of his contribution will never be forgotten. With the game in the balance, he was pushed deep into attack. He outmuscled Andrew Kellaway, before nailing a set shot. Moments later, he toe-poked a ball from a contest into the hands of Leigh Harding, who kicked the winning goal.
Then, he announced his retirement on national TV.
“I think I’ve used up every inch of my determination with my fitness and mental effort, and I find it fitting now that I’ll hang the boots up as of tonight and go out on a great note.”
It was a fairy tale end and a true story of a hero overcoming adversity.
Which North Melbourne player do you think epitomises the value of Jason McCartney, strength and courage?
Leigh Adams won the award in 2012. This year, another North player will join an elite group by being presented with the award at the Syd Barker Medal.
Click here to book tickets to the Syd Barker Medal
