The coach of the premiership winning team currently receives the Jock McHale Medal, named in McHale's honour. The medal was first awarded in 2001, and Jock McHale Medals were retrospectively awarded to all premiership-winning coaches from 1950 onwards, which was the first season following McHale's retirement from coaching.
1:^ Jock McHale had coached Collingwood throughout that year and into the week of the grand final, but was absent on the day of the grand final, having fallen ill with influenza. Club treasurer Bob Rush performed the matchday coaching duties in his place. For many years, Rush was credited with having coached the game, but after a decision in 2014 by the AFL's historians, McHale was credited as Collingwood's sole coach in the game for the purposes of coaching statistics.[1]