Top 4 AFL Mark of the Year winners ft. Tony Modra 

In AFL, marks are taken by catching kicked balls. The player with the catch receives a free kick that protects them from tackles. If the ball from a kick touches the ground before it is caught, it doesn't count as a mark but rather a tipped ball.

It is one of the most important skills in football. It allows players to move the ball from one to another faster. The minimum distance a kicked ball must travel to count for a mark is 15 metres.

In a situation where two players contest for the kicked ball, the umpire awards the mark to the man in front and when the umpire can't determine the front man, a ball up results.

Marks are of different types and are used in different situations depending on the type of kick taken. Overhead marks, contested marks, pack mark, high marks, and spectacular marks are some of the types of mark used in footy.

Over the years, many marks have been taken. The mark judged subjectively as the best or most difficult to pull off is awarded the ‘Mark of the Year’. The competition was inspired by Alex Jesaulenko’s mark in Carlton's 1970 grand final match when he leaped over Collingwood's Graeme Jenkins.

In 2001, the AFL began operating its own Mark of the Year award away from Channel Seven's World of Sport and The Winners on the ABC. The most recent winner was GWS Giants' Harry Himmelberg.

Although no player has won it twice since the AFL's version began, a look at the combined list of previous winners shows that some players have won it more than once. This article lists those players and their amazing marks.

#4 Billy Picken

Former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire hangs a number 25 Collingwood jumper from the window of the media box paying tribute to former player Billy Picken on July 24, 2022

Billy Picken was awarded Mark of the Year twice during his time at Collingwood. He received it for his mark in 1974 in the game against Richmond in their Round 9 match. He also scored one goal in the match as Collingwood won 21.17(143) - 9.20(74).

He won the award again in 1976 for his mark against St Kilda but this time around, they lost the match by a 17-point margin.

#3 Gary Ablett Sr

1994:Gary Ablett of the Cats marks over Gary Pert of the Magpies

Gary Ablett Sr. too won the award twice in his career. He won it for the mark against North Melbourne in 1985 and against Collingwood in 1994. His 1994 mark was awarded the ‘Mark of the Century’.

#2 Peter Knights

Peter Knights, Hawthorn FC Hall of Fame Legend poses for a photo with his wife Angela during the 2024 Hawthorn Football Club Hall of Fame function

Peter Knights received the award on three occasions. He got the first one in 1972 for Hawthorn against Collingwood in Round 17. He was awarded again for his Round-17 mark against Carlton in 1975 and Round-9 play against Collingwood in 1977.

#1 Tony Modra

9 May 1999: Tony Modra of Fremantle challenges Ben Graham of Geelong

Tony Modra was awarded his first Mark of the Year as a Crow in 1993 when Adelaide faced North Melbourne in Round 8. He won it two more times -- against North Melbourne in Round 12 and as a Fremantle player against Geelong in 2000. Modra was the last AFL player to win the award in different years.