The race for the million-dollar McClelland Trophy is heating up between the Brisbane Lions and Hawthorn, as both team look set to make AFLW finals.
Earlier this year, the AFL Commission approved changes to the McClelland Trophy criteria following criticism around the “champion club” accolade not including finals.
Hawthorn’s triumph over Richmond secured the 2024 McClelland Trophy.Credit: AFL Photos
Hawthorn won the trophy last year, which is awarded to the best-performed club across the AFL and AFLW home-and-away seasons. The Hawks finished on a combined 136 points, with 80 points in the AFLW and 56 in the AFL, however their teams crashed out in the semi and preliminary finals respectively.
The Lions followed closely behind on 130 points, despite winning the AFL premiership and making it to the AFLW grand final against North Melbourne.
Former player and commentator Kate McCarthy called for the criteria to change in an interview with this masthead last year, noting the format is not reflective of “who the champion club is”.
“I think the way it’s awarded is completely fine, but the label around it being ‘the champion club’, when really, we put a lot more value on finals then we do home-and-away games to determine a champion in AFL,” she said.
Under the new criteria for 2025, the McClelland Trophy now includes finals in addition to the home-and-away season.
At the conclusion of the finals for each competition (AFL and AFLW), each club is assigned a ranking from 1 to 18 in reverse order, with the team finishing first receiving 18 points. The highest combined ranking score will win the trophy.
When two teams are knocked out in the same week of finals, the club that finished higher on the ladder at the end of the home-and-away season will be given a higher ranking (consistent with methodology used for the draft order and weighted rule).
The million-dollar prize is split between the club’s two playing groups, with $250,000 going to AFLW players, $250,000 to AFL players and the remaining $500,000 to the club.
The Lions are currently leading the race for the McClelland Trophy on 33 points, with Hawthorn close behind, while Adelaide remain a strong chance.