Western Bulldogs Senior Coach Luke Beveridge was awarded the ‘Spirit of Sport’ prize at Thursday night’s Sport Australia Hall of Fame dinner in Melbourne.

The premiership-winning coach was bestowed the honour for giving his AFL premiership medallion to injured captain Bob Murphy after the grand final last month.

Sport Australia Hall of Fame Chairman John Bertrand AO said Beveridge’s actions encapsulated exactly what the award was designed to recognise.
 
“We all watched it and it captured our hearts,” Bertrand said.
 
“Luke’s actions exemplify the spirit of sport and truly represent many of the values of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame including modesty, generosity and mateship.”
 
“It’s a fitting moment to be enshrined in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame via the ‘Spirit of Sport’ Award, which we only award sparingly and in select circumstances – and this is one of those moments,” Bertrand said.
 
Beveridge last week revealed during his speech at the recent Sutton Medal that Murphy had returned the medal.
 
"I put him in a difficult situation, but he had to have recognition," Beveridge said.
 
"He returned the Jock McHale Medal. He gave it back to me on Sunday morning. He said he couldn't keep it. But he thanked me for the gesture.
 
"The medal will go in the Western Bulldogs museum as a symbol of the camaraderie and respect that Bob has fostered over the course of his career at the Western Bulldogs."

Presented for just the sixth time since its inception in 2005, Beveridge follows in the footsteps of last year’s ‘Spirit of Sport’ recipients Mick Fanning and Julian Wilson who’s courage and mateship when faced with a shark at Jeffreys Bay in South Africa was recognised with the award in 2015.

The ‘Spirit of Sport’ Award acknowledges extraordinary sporting achievements and performances that capture the hearts of the nation. When The Sport Australia Hall of Fame introduced the award it was not intended to be given annually but to be granted, at the Board's discretion, for a performance that is very special and destined to be part of Australian sporting history.
 
With Beveridge currently on leave, wife Dana accepted the award on his behalf at the ceremony at Crown Palladium.