Max Pontifex of West Torrens won the Magarey Medal awarded to the 'Fairest and Most Brilliant Player' in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) in 1932. Pontifex played 74 games for West Torrens, captaining the club and the South Australian State Team in 1934.

The back of the medal is inscribed 'Fairest and most brilliant player 1932 won by S.M. Pontifex', and suspended on a red, yellow and blue ribbon.

The most infamous moment in Pontifex's career was when he was reported in round 16 of the 1933 season and controversially received a three match suspension - which meant he missed the Grand Final, won by his team.

He was later transferred to Launceston in Tasmania by his employer, the Commonwealth Bank, where he took up a captain-coach role for the City club in the Northern Tasmanian Football Association and won the Tasman Shield Trophy in 1938 as the Association's best player.

The photograph is of Max Pontifex taken in 1932, with an inscription to his grandson Daniel in 1982. Max Pontifex bequeathed the medal to Daniel as the only grandson to play football in South Australia.

In 1897 William Magarey became the Chairman of the South Australian Football Association which later became the SANFL. He was eager to stamp out rough play and assist in gaining more respect for umpires. In 1898 Magarey instituted the award of a Medal to South Australia's fairest and most brilliant player. The first recipient of the coveted Magarey Medal award was Norwood's Alby Green.

Click the view more images link under the photograph for a view of the back of the medal, and a photo of Max Pontifex in his West Torrens uniform in 1932.