West Gippsland Football League’s top 25 footballers revealed
With seven rounds of football played in the West Gippsland League this season, we’ve ranked the best players in the competition so far.
Bass Coast News
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The West Gippsland League strives to make its mark in the competitive world of regional football.
But who are the best players in the competition so far?
After seven rounds of football, here is who made the list.
Trent Armour (Nar Nar Goon)
After coming through the Under 18 competition with Gippsland Power, Armour has excelled since signing with Nar Nar Goon. He won the club’s best and fairest in 2017 and 2019, and was named in the league’s 2019 team of the season. The 22-year-old vice-captain is known as a talented and tough in-and-under midfielder, quick and great overhead.
Jarryd Roughead (Inverloch-Kongwak)
The four-time premiership-winning Hawthorn superstar joined the Sea Eagles for a handful of games this season. In his first game on April 17, Roughead wore No 35, the same number he carried at the start of his Hawks journey. IK won the game and Roughead kicked four goals playing deep forward and in the middle. He has committed to playing more matches for Inverloch-Kongwak this season.
Piva Wright (Tooradin-Dalmore)
Wright signed for the Seagulls in 2020 after making the move from the Doveton Eagles in the Southern Football Netball League. The former Richmond AFL rookie and Noble Park forward has had a strong start to the 2021 season. He booted 16 goals across the first seven games, making him one of the most dangerous forwards in the competition.
Daniel Pearce (Phillip Island)
Pearce signed with Phillip Island’s Bulldogs this year after playing the past two seasons at Templestowe. The 28-year-old had a short stint in the AFL with the Western Bulldogs, making six appearances in three years. The Island is hopeful the midfielder can assist with helping them win their third straight premiership. He’s been named in the best players in three of his five matches.
Anthony Bruhn (Warragul)
The three-time premiership player at Frankston YCW signed with Warragul Industrials for the 2021 season. The star forward had close to 350 goals to his name in the Mornington Peninsula league with a season best of 82. It led to him spending time in the Footscray Bulldogs VFL program, and he kicked a bag of five goals against Geelong VFL. Has 14 goals from seven matches for Dusties.
Adam Oxley (Tooradin-Dalmore)
The Seagulls secured Collingwood’s 34-game wingman Adam Oxley for the 2021 season. The speedy right-footer was recruited by the Magpies as a rookie and began his AFL career in 2013. He stayed with them as a VFL player after being delisted at the end of 2018. Oxley found his way to Tooradin-Dalmore through his friend and former teammate Piva Wright, who joined the club last year. Has made a slashing start as a Seagull.
Nathan Gardiner (Cora Lynn)
Gardiner joined the league in 2019 after playing more than 40 VFL senior games for Casey and Frankston. The lead-up forward is best known for his marks, speed on the lead and depth of kick. Gardiner impressed in his first season for the Cobras, booting 84 goals. The 24-year-old is set for another productive year with 24 goals in the first seven matches. When “on-song” Gardiner is regarded as one of the most damaging players in the competition.
Brendan Kimber (Phillip Island)
The midfielder who rests forward is a contested-ball beast, and is a great kick and overhead mark. There’s not much Kimber hasn’t achieved after winning numerous premierships and a league best and fairest. He was a country representative twice and was also part of the club’s team of the century.
Campbell Brown (Kilcunda Bass)
The Hawthorn premiership player joined the Panthers as an assistant playing coach for the 2021 season. Brown played 205 AFL games for the Hawks and the Suns, and is regarded as the biggest signing in the club’s history. Made his debut against Dalyston and booted four goals. Has eight majors from his three matches with Killy-Bass.
Tanner Stanton (Garfield)
A left-foot defender, Stanton first arrived at Garfield in the 2018 season where he was coached by his father, Hayden. After playing a few games in the VFL for North Melbourne in 2019, Stanton has committed full-time to the Stars. Stanton is known for his leadership, decision-making and clever use of the ball.
Chris Johnson (Cora Lynn)
Johnson is a midfielder with two best and fairests under his belt at the age of 24. He is the ultimate inside mid who has an enormous workrate and has played a pivotal role in the Cobras’ competitiveness in the past few seasons. Johnson is a quiet achiever but gets the job done when required.
Zak Vernon (Phillip Island)
The dynamic midfielder was named vice-captain of the 2018 senior interleague squad in which he won the AFL Victoria Medal for best on ground. Vernon followed up with selection in the 2019 West Gippsland League team of the season. He is an integral member of the Bulldogs. The club is looking to win its third consecutive premiership under his brother and coach Beau Vernon.
Jaxon Briggs (Cora Lynn)
Briggs is one of the most explosive players in the league with speed to burn. He is 23 and represented the Victoria Country Division 2 in 2019. Briggs played in a senior premiership with the Cobras at the age of 16 and is still on the Casey Demons VFL squad. He also spent two years in the TAC Cup system at Sandringham Dragons.
Troy McDermott (Nar Nar Goon)
The 30-year-old key forward is mobile and an accurate left-foot kick for goal. He has led the team’s goalkicking in his years at Nar Nar Goon and is at it again this year with 20. McDermott previously played at Beaconsfield and was a South Eastern interleague representative. He is a vital player who rarely plays a bad game.
Cameron Pedersen (Phillip Island)
A champion of the WGFL. Pedersen took home the best and fairest in 2019 for his club and the league, and it won’t be a surprise if he does the double again. The former Kangaroo and Demon player met with 25 clubs after he retired from AFL at the end of 2018. He settled with the Bulldogs in Phillip Island and has taken on a ruck-forward role, marking everything that comes his way.
Jaymie Youle (Phillip Island)
The Bulldogs’ captain and midfielder is a local who played juniors with the club. He is a running machine and is ball skills are as sharp as a butcher’s knife. Youle has won multiple flags and was a premiership captain. He was also a premiership player at Gippsland Power and spent time at the Casey Demons in the VFL.
Brendan Hermann (Nar Nar Goon)
Hermann is the Goon’s captain and a three-time best and fairest winner. The 27-year-old midfielder is highly skilled and a prolific ball winner. Hermann is the X factor for his team and oozes class. He has stayed loyal to Nar Nar Goon, being a junior product of the club.
Michael Collins (Bunyip)
A bull of an onballer, Collins played in seven premierships at Narre Warren, collected eight best and fairests, was a regular interleague representative and an 11-time team-of-the-year selection. Collins joined Bunyip in 2021 after spending a year away from football. He is consistent, a leader and big-moment player.
Jack Soroczynski (Kilcunda Bass)
Soroczynski – “Soz’’ to all at Killy-Bass – has achieved quite a lot in his football career. He did a three-year stint with Frankston in the VFL, played for Narre Warren, Stony Creek and even for the Wandsworth Demons in London. He plays as a running half back but also has the ability to go through the middle or up forward.
Ryan Quirk (Bunyip)
Quirk joined the club from Narre Warren for the 2021 season, with his brother Dylan. He came as a premiership player, runner-up in the best and fairest and the 2019 vice-captain. Quirk cuts everything off across half back and drives his team into attack with excellent kicking. He’s a class player.
Andrew Dean (Tooradin-Dalmore)
Class forward who had a stellar 19, kicking 66 goals. Has made a stylish start to the season, gaining mentions in the best four times in seven games. Crossed to the Seagulls from Rye, where he was a team-of-the-year forward.
Michael Marotta (Dalyston)
After playing three games for Collingwood VFL in 2019, Marotta is a strong midfielder for the Magpies. He was part of the AFL young guns game and a representative of the interleague squad for the West Gippsland Football League.
Dylan Quirk (Bunyip)
Quirk joined Bunyip from Narre Warren, where he was captain, a premiership player, league representative and one of the best on-ballers in the South East league. He’s quickly making his name as an “inside’’ midfielder in West Gippsland, having been named his team’s best player in four of his seven outings.
Tom Hams (Inverloch-Kongwak)
Hams returned to the Sea Eagles this year after last playing for the club in 2017. He is an experienced and much-honoured left-footer who originally came from Sale and had a stint with Bendigo in the VFL.
Max Blake (Phillip Island)
Blake has excelled in his first season with the Bulldogs after coming from Templestowe in the Eastern Football League. He’s slotted 29 goals so far, including a bag of seven against Bunyip. Athletic, a strong mark and confident kick for goal. The word has quickly gone out in Westy Gippy that there’s a new crack forward to be stopped.
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