Connor Rozee recorded 29 disposals, seven tackles and two goals, earning the 2023 Peter Badcoe VC Medallist. Image: Matt Sampson.

PORT ADELAIDE midfielder Connor Rozee has won his second consecutive Peter Badcoe VC Medal, following a stand-out performance in Port Adelaide’s Anzac Appeal Round clash with West Coast.

The Badcoe Medal is voted on by journalists and media personalities covering the match and is awarded to the player who best demonstrates the ANZAC spirit and qualities of skill, courage in adversity, self-sacrifice, teamwork and fair play during the game. 

Major Peter Badcoe VC served in the Vietnam War and is the last South Australian to be awarded the Victoria Cross - the military’s highest honour for bravery.

He was one of Australia's greatest war heroes, a highly-decorated soldier whose acts of bravery and courage saw him awarded the medal for three separate acts during the Vietnam conflict.

Major Badcoe died on a battlefield in Vietnam on April 7, 1967 - his last action on that day seeing him single-handedly try to stop a Vietcong machine gunner from firing on allied South Vietnamese troops. 

Rozee had 29 possessions, seven tackles and three clearances to go with two goals, to be the clear winner of the Peter Badcoe VC Medal for 2023 with a total of 12 votes, followed by forward Jeremy Finlayson with five votes after his five-goal haul.

Rozee was the clear winner in the judges eyes after collecting 29 possessions, seven tackles and three clearances to go with two goals. Image: AFL Photos.



TOTAL VOTES

Rozee (PA) – 12

Finlayson (PA) – 5

Kelly (WC) – 3

Drew (PA) – 3

Williams (WC) 1

ALL THE VOTES


Stephen Williams – ABC Grandstand
3 – Rozee
2 – Kelly
1 – Finlayson


Tim Ginever – FIVEaa
3 – Rozee
2 - Finlayson
1 – Kelly


Matt Turner – the Advertiser
3 – Rozee
2 - Finlayson
1 – Drew


Chris Dittmar – Triple M
3 – Rozee
2 – Drew
1 – Williams

Past Winners: 
2004: Josh Carr (Port Adelaide) 
2005: Warren Tredrea (Port Adelaide) 
2006: Brendon Lade (Port Adelaide) 
2007: Chad Cornes (Port Adelaide) 
2008: Kane Cornes (Port Adelaide) 
2009: Lenny Hayes (St. Kilda)
2010: David Rodan (Port Adelaide)
2011: Michael Rischitelli (Gold Coast Suns)
2012: Josh Kennedy (Sydney)
2013: Hamish Hartlett (Port Adelaide)
2014: Travis Boak (Port Adelaide)
2015: Travis Boak (Port Adelaide)
2016: Joel Selwood (Geelong)
2017: Robbie Gray (Port Adelaide)
2018: Joel Selwood (Geelong)
2019: Travis Boak (Port Adelaide)
2020: *not awarded – no ANZAC Round due to COVID-19 lockdown
2021: Ollie Wines (Port Adelaide)
2022: Connor Rozee (Port Adelaide)