The player awarded second place in the best and fairest voting is awarded the R.T. Rush Trophy.

The Collingwood motto Floreat Pica or “May the Magpies prosper” was introduced by former player and administrator, Robert Thomas Rush.

“Bob” Rush coined the term when he was acting club treasure after the 1910 premiership. He believed it helped reaffirm Collingwood’s uniqueness, spirit and prosperity. 

After making his playing debut in 1899, Rush went on to play 143 games over ten seasons for the Magpies.

Rush was considered a fine defender with excellent pace and agility. He tasted premiership glory as a player in the 1902 and 1903 season.

After retiring in 1908, Rush became the club’s treasurer, continuing in the position until 1950. 

In the Magpies’ 1930 premiership win, Rush was given coaching duties because of head coach, Jock McHale, suffering an illness which forced him to miss the game. 

Learn more about the man behind the award – R.T 'Bob' Rush 

PAST WINNERS
There was no runner-up best and fairest named in the first half-dozen years of the Copeland Trophy.

In 1933, however, the club began to acknowledge those players who finished second and third, by awarding each of them a trophy named after Cecil Hearne.

From 1941 onwards, the award for runner-up best and fairest has carried the name of R.T. Rush in honour of Bob Rush.

More recently, Scott Pendlebury and Dane Swan have claimed the R.T. Rush Trophy three times each, while Adam Treloar won the honour in his first season at Collingwood in 2016.

R.T. RUSH TROPHY
Since 2000:
2000: Tarkyn Lockyer
2001: Jarrod Molloy
2002: Scott Burns
2003: Chris Tarrant
2004: Ben Johnson/Paul Licuria/Shane Woewodin
2005: Brodie Holland
2006: James Clement/Ben Johnson
2007: Scott Pendlebury
2008: Paul Medhurst
2009: Nick Maxwell
2010: Scott Pendlebury
2011: Dane Swan
2012: Scott Pendlebury
2013: Dane Swan
2014: Steele Sidebottom
2015: Dane Swan
2016: Adam Treloar

PAST FIVE WINNERS

2012 – Scott Pendlebury (21 games, 11 goals)


2013 – Dane Swan (23 games, 21 goals)


2014 – Steele Sidebottom (19 games, 14 goals)


2015 – Dane Swan (21 games, 21 goals)


2016 – Adam Treloar (22 games, 13 goals)