Ron Smith Medal

The club’s top goal-kicker in the seniors is recognised with the Ron Smith Medal.

Put simply, “Smithy” was a deadly accurate goal-kicking machine. He was full-forward when the club won three flags and a record 60 games in a row between 1934-36.

Recruited from Fairfield Districts when the club joined the VAFA in 1934, Smithy kicked 327 goals in those first three home and away seasons in the VAFA.

He was runner-up in the D grade goal-kicking with 92 goals in 1934 and got another five in the grand final win over UHSOB.

He topped the C grade goal-kicking in 1935 with 123 goals, and finished the season with 134, including seven in the grand final win UHSOB.

He then topped the B grade goal-kicking in 1936 with 112 and bagged 26 goals in the finals series, including eight in the grand final win against Ormond.

He holds the club record for the most goals kicked in a game, which is 15 against Bentleigh in B grade in 1936. He also had two bags of 13 goals in 1936 and 1934.

In 1937 in A grade, he notched 54, in 1938 it was 63, and the same in 1939. He got 29 in 1940 before war was declared and the season terminated.

After the war when the club was re-formed, Smithy bagged another 49 goals. He continued playing until 1949, clocking up over 200 games, and became the club’s first life member.

Smithy is full-forward in Ivanhoe’s Team of the Century.