Josh D’Intinosante claims Northern Knights TAC Cup best and fairest
THINK a mix of AFL games record holder Brent Harvey and Adelaide’s Lachlan Murphy — that’s how Northern Knights best and fairest winner Josh D’Intinosante.
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THINK a mix of AFL games record holder Brent Harvey and Adelaide’s Lachlan Murphy.
That’s how Northern Knights talent manager Rhy Gieschen describes pocket rocket Josh D’Intinosante.
At 175cm, D’Intinosante was the shortest player on the Knights’ TAC Cup list this year.
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But the midfielder/small forward more than makes up for his lack of height with an insatiable competitiveness, sharp decision-making and the effectiveness of his disposals.
The South Morang junior was recognised as the Brent Harvey best and fairest winner for 2018 on Thursday, joining Richmond’s Kane Lambert, Carlton’s Matthew Kreuzer and St Kilda’s Jade Gresham as a recipient of the accolade.
D’Intinosante was the first bottom-age player to win the award since former Melbourne captain Jack Grimes in 2006.
“When a kid of his size wins a best and fairest, people always question ‘is he someone that can go on to AFL football?’ We’re really confident he has got what it takes to go on and be a future AFL player,” Gieschen said of the 17-year-old.
D’Intinosante (87 votes) finished 11 votes clear of captain Braedyn Gillard (76) in the count, while Banyule product Adam Carafa (65) was third.
“Really determined, competitive, consistent,” Gieschen said.
“He’s just someone that is super consistent every single quarter of every game.
“He certainly didn’t play a bad game at all and his good games were really special.”
Gieschen praised D’Intinosante’s impact in the middle of the campaign, when he was thrust into a leading on-ball role with first-round draft hopeful Tom McKenzie (Vic Metro/school football) and Gillard (injured) unavailable.
“If you look at Lachie Murphy a couple of years ago, he was 173cm,” Gieschen said.
“The guy the award is named after (Harvey), he’s the same height.
“He’s seen as a combination of those two players. He’s got the competitiveness and tenacity of Murphy and the smarts, finish and polish of a Boomer.”
Gieschen said it was clear D’Intinosante was made for TAC Cup football when he excelled on debut against a Sandringham Dragons midfield consisting of top draft prospect Bailey Smith and Morrish medallist Liam Stocker.
“It was a really wet day and they had Bailey Smith, Stocker and those sort of guys going through the midfield. Big, strong, top-age boys,” he said.
“In the first half he was the best player on the ground including all those really high-end players.
“He copped a really big corkie that day and I thought, ‘bottom-age kid, first game of TAC, he might sit off the second half’.
“He played out the game and his will and determination that day set the tone for what his whole season would be.”
Coach Justin Wenke has recommitted for another year in charge of Northern Knights and will lead an exciting crop of talent in 2019.
While D’Intinosante was crowned the Knights’ best and fairest, fellow bottom-age players Carafa and Sam Philp finished in the top five.
Philp, a St Mary’s junior, received the Adam Simpson coaches award, while the Michael Mascoulis rising star went to South Morang’s Lachlan Potter.
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