The Tony Drinan Award
As a perpetual memorial to an exceptional Mentonian and to recognise the accomplishments of former Mentone Grammar students, the prestigious ‘Tony Drinan Medal’ is awarded each year to a past student who, in the opinion of the Selection Committee, has achieved outstanding success, bringing honour to the School and service to the community.
Tony Drinan Medal Awardee 2026
Professor John Hutson AO (Class of 1966) is honoured with the Tony Drinan Medal, presented on Thursday 21 May 2026 at the Friends of Frogmore and Tony Drinan Medal Lunch, in recognition of his extraordinary impact and lifelong commitment to medicine. As Chair of Paediatric Surgery at The University of Melbourne and Consultant at the Royal Children’s Hospital, his contributions to medicine, research and education have shaped generations of clinicians and transformed care for children.
Read more about Professor Hutson’s remarkable story:
Tony Drinan Medal recipients
| Year Awarded | Name | Alumni Year | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Professor John Hutson AO | 1966 | Medicine |
| 2025 | Mr Les Gelis | 1986 | International Sports Physiotherapy |
| 2024 | Professor James Oxley | 1970 | Mathematics |
| 2023 | Mr John Peers | 2006 | Australian Tennis |
| 2022 | Mr Peter Royston | 1967 | Law and The Law Institute |
| 2021 | Dr A G (Tony) Collins | 1966 | Education |
| 2020 | Mr Steven Warrington AFSM | 1977 | Country Fire Authority (CFA) |
| 2019 | Mr John Firth | 1969 | Education and Curriculum |
| 2018 | Mr Robert Nottle CBE | 1960 | International Financial Services |
| 2017 | Sir Robert Jackson AC KCVO CMG OBE (Deceased) | 1928 | Former UN Under Secretary General |
| 2016 | Professor Tim Brailsford | 1981 | Vice-Chancellor and President of Bond University |
| 2015 | The Hon. Associate Justice Nemeer Mukhtar | 1975 | Supreme Court, Victoria |
| 2014 | Mr James Riady | 1974 | International Business and philanthropic support for education |
| 2013 | Mr Shane Warne (Deceased) | 1987 | Australian Cricket & Founder of The Shane Warne Foundation |
| 2012 | Associate Professor Andre La Gerche | 1991 | Medical Research in the field of Cardiology |
| 2011 | Colonel Andrew Hocking | 1989 | Australian Defence Forces |
| 2010 | Mr Adam Kilgour | 1982 | Australian Business & Politics |
| 2009 | Mr Mal Walden | 1961 | Broadcasting and Television |
| 2008 | Mr Phillip Hutson | 1971 | Australian Federal Police |
| 2007 | Mr Geoff Ryan AM | 1965 | Education |
| 2006 | Associate Professor Michael Woodward | 1971 | Specialist in Geriatric Medicine |
| 2005 | Emeritus Professor Don Gartside | 1964 | Environmental Science and Management |
| 2004 | Don Ingram OAM (Deceased) | 1955 | Education |
| 2003 | The Very Rev. Dr John Shepherd AM | 1959 | Anglican Dean of Perth |
| 2002 | Ret Brig J Deighton A.M., M.C. (Deceased) | 1952 | Australian Defence Forces - Retired CEO Victorian RSL HQ |
| 2001 | Professor Glenn Bowes AO (Deceased) | 1966 | Medicine, Specialist in Paediatrics |