Sydney Swans greats Adam Goodes and Michael O’Loughlin will be honoured with a medal named in their honour.

The Goodes-O’Loughlin Medal will be awarded to the player judged best on ground in the Sydney Swans’ Marn Grook match in Sir Doug Nicholls Round (formerly Indigenous Round), beginning with the Round 10 clash with North Melbourne. The initiative was agreed upon by the Sydney Swans Board at February’s meeting.

Adam Goodes retired last season after 372 games in the red and white. His much-decorated career includes two Brownlow Medals, two AFL premierships (2005 and 2012), three Bob Skilton Medals, the 1999 AFL Rising Star Award, being named in the Indigenous Team of the Century and four All Australian accolades. In 2014 Goodes was named Australian of the Year.

“This football club means so much to me and it was always such a privilege to pull on the red and white jumper, so this is a huge honour,” Goodes said.

“To have the medal coincide with Sir Doug Nicholls Round makes it even more special as it’s a round that has always been close to my heart.”

Michael O’Loughlin played 303 games at the Swans from 1995-2009. A member of the Swans’ 2005 premiership team, O’Loughlin won the Swans’ best and fairest award in 1998, is a dual All-Australian and was named in the Indigenous Team of the Century. In 2015 he was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame. Most recently O’Loughlin was the coach of the QBE Sydney Swans Academy.

“Who would have thought that after coming to the club back in 1995 that I would be privileged to play 300-odd games, win a premiership and then have a medal bare my name – it really doesn’t get much better,” O’Loughlin said.

“It’s an honour and a privilege, and to be able to share it with my best mate is just fantastic.”

Both Goodes and O’Loughlin have worked to stamp out racism and advocate for Indigenous youth through the Goodes-O’Loughlin (GO) Foundation. The GO Foundation is the Swans partner for Sir Doug Nicholls Round.