Sydney Swans greats Jarrad McVeigh and Nick Smith are in the running to win the 2019 Madden Medal, an honour awarded to a retiring player who best demonstrated on-field excellence, personal growth and community spirit during their career.
McVeigh and Smith are contending with fellow 2019 retirees Luke Hodge, Jarryd Roughead, Alex Rance and Dale Morris, with the winner set to be announced at the AFL Players’ Association Season Celebration on Thursday.
The Madden Medal was first presented in 2007 and has since been awarded to three Swans players: Michael O’Loughlin in 2009, Brett Kirk in 2010 and Jude Bolton in 2013.
Check out below the Madden Medal nomination biographies on McVeigh and Smith.
Jarrad McVeigh
The Sydney Swans selected Jarrad McVeigh with their first pick, and number five overall, at the 2002 AFL Draft, and he made his senior debut in Round 1, 2004. When he retired 17 years later, he had played 325 AFL games and had won a 2012 premiership medal, two Club Champion medals (2008, 2013), Sydney’s 2013 Players’ Player award and the Swans’ 2014 Best Clubman honour. McVeigh also co-captained the Swans in the years spanning 2011-2016, while he was presented an All Australian blazer in 2013. His illustrious career then culminated in his selection in the greatest NSW team of all time in 2019, placing him alongside Hayden Bunton, Wayne Carey, Paul Kelly and a host of other esteemed names. An outstanding endurance runner, an elite user of the footy and a footballer with immense courage, McVeigh became one of the most revered midfielders in the league. The Sydney great then essentially played as an on-field coach in defence during the twilight years of his career, orchestrating the Swans’ set-up behind the ball and helping driving the side’s ball movement out of defence. McVeigh’s career ended in glorious fashion when he joined fellow retiring greats Kieren Jack, Heath Grundy and Nick Smith in farewelling the game in Round 23, 2019, on the same day that star forward Lance Franklin celebrated his 300th AFL match. Sydney marked the SCG clash with a magical 45-point win over St Kilda. Away from footy, McVeigh completed his Certificate III and IV in Sports Development with SportsReady in 2007, completed the Next Coach Program in 2016 and was active in his support of all Team Swans community engagements. McVeigh is now a member of Sydney’s coaching panel, having teamed up with Tadhg Kennelly to lead the midfield department from the beginning of the 2020 pre-season.
Nick Smith
Nick Smith arrived at the Sydney Swans as a rookie in 2006 and made his AFL debut in Round 5, 2008. Although drafted from the Oakleigh Chargers as a midfielder, it was in defence that he stamped his impact, engaging in – and often winning – countless enthralling duels with gun small forwards like Steve Johnson, Eddie Betts, Cyril Rioli and Stephen Milne. When a serious hamstring injury forced Smith into announcing his retirement in August 2019, he farewelled the game with 211 AFL matches, a 2012 premiership medal, the Swans’ 2009 Rising Star award and the club’s 2011 Most Improved honour on his resume. He was also a member of the club’s leadership group from 2012 until he retired, while he was named in the 2014 All Australian team. Smith also found time to become an outstanding individual off the ground, completing a Bachelor of Economics at the University of NSW, winning the 2012 UNSW Male Athlete of the Year award and becoming a qualified forklift driver. He was also a Swans Diversity Action Plan committee member, was a Swans Pride ambassador and was active in his support of all Team Swans community engagements. Smith is now working in a part-time capacity as a Swans development coach.
