Heidelberg star Lachlan Wilson claims shock Rosbrook Medal win
Heidelberg’s Rosbrook Medallist Lachlan Wilson discusses his big win, beating taggers and why he thinks the Tigers are primed for a premiership.
Northern
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Heidelberg’s Rosbrook Medallist Lachlan Wilson admits he struggled with taggers at times this season.
The star midfielder got a lot of attention from opposition stoppers but credits his Tigers teammates for helping him through and ultimately winning the NFL Division 1’s highest honour.
The VFL-listed young gun has become one of the competition’s best ball-winners since bursting onto the scene in 2016 when he was adjudged best-on-ground in the Tigers’ grand final win.
Wilson has committed to working even harder over the off-season to learn how to cope with taggers.
“I felt like it wasn’t as strong a season for myself as I had a lot of attention on me, a lot more taggers,” he said.
“Next year I’m definitely going to improve my fitness, try to run them off their feet, but I’m still happy with my year.
“I’m not as used to the attention, so I’ll be working really hard over the pre-season to improve my fitness and how to cope with that.”
The young Tiger’s phone was blowing up after his surprise win and quickly put on mute.
“I just left it alone last night, it just wasn’t stopping, so I celebrated as well as I could and I’m talking to everyone this morning,” Wilson said.
“It was a bit of a surprise, I didn’t expect to be that close at Round 10 but I knew I finished the season pretty strongly.
“I thought I was a chance seeing as Jesse Tardio was ineligible and if Tom Bell didn’t pull anything.”
Wilson claimed his first league medal with 17 votes, polling in seven of 11 appearances, including four best-on-ground performances, to pip an ineligible Tardio by one.
He finished joint 17th in the Coaches’ MVP award, won by Heidelberg teammate Matt Smith, to complete an awards double for the Tigers.
Surprisingly, Smith didn’t poll a single Rosbrook Medal vote.
Wilson paid tribute to coach Danny Nolan and was looking forward to again teaming up with Smith in midfield in 2022.
“It’s only our first year together (with Smith) and the chemistry is already pretty strong,” Wilson said.
“He took out the MVP, which was really well deserved, and I thought he should have got more league votes.
“I’m pretty sure he’s going to sign on for next year, so we’re should be looking good in the midfield at Heidelberg.
“Danny’s a really good coach, he connects well with the boys, especially being a past player and a legend of the club.
“He knows about success and how to get it all out of us.
“I think next year and the next four or five years our group is going to develop – we’re pretty young at the moment – and I’m pretty sure Danny can lead us to a flag.”
In Nolan’s first season in charge Heidelberg finished fourth with eight wins but didn’t beat a top-four side.
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Wilson was VFL-listed at Northern Bullants this season but is weighing up his state league future.
“The two (VFL) games I was going to play there were cancelled because of coronavirus,” he said.
“I didn’t even get a crack at VFL so I’m unsure if I want to go back and do another season at any VFL club or just stay at Heidelberg.
“I’m pretty happy playing at Heidelberg, so we’ll see what happens.”
TIGER TAKES ROSBROOK IN BOILOVER
It was a boilover on the Northern Football League’s night of nights on Wednesday.
Heidelberg star Lachlan Wilson claimed a shock Rosbrook Medal win, topping ineligible North Heidelberg star Jesse Tardio by one vote.
Wilson won votes in seven of 11 matches, adjudged best-on-ground four times, including a medal-winning three votes in the final game of the season, to leap-frog Tardio.
The Northern Bullants VFL-listed star finished with 17 votes, one ahead of his Bulldogs rival and four clear of reigning medallist, Greensborough’s Tom Bell and leading goalkicker, Ahmed Saad of West Preston-Lakeside in third.
Wilson is the first Tiger to claim the Division 1 league best-and-fairest since Michael Brunelli in 2018, when he shared the award with Macleod’s Lucas Hobbs.
Lachlan Wilson is the 2021 Frank Rosbrook medallist!
— Northern FNL (@northernfnl) September 22, 2021
The 22-year-old Heidelberg midfielder adds the Meadows Greyhounds Division 1 best and fairest to a list of accolades that already includes a premiership and grand final best on ground medal.#NFNLAwardspic.twitter.com/9f2nSNLf3S
The @northernfnl Division 1 Rosbrook Medallist is ...
— Ben Higgins (@ben_higgins84) September 22, 2021
1. Lachlan Wilson (Heidelberg)
2. Jesse Tardio (North Heidelberg)*
3. Tom Bell (Greensborough) & Ahmed Saad (West Preston-Lakeside)* pic.twitter.com/0stMnsJYLN
He was only named in Heidelberg’s best four times, none best-on-ground, but did finish with 24 Coaches’ MVP votes.
It completed an awards double for Heidelberg with teammate Matt Smith awarded the Coaches’ MVP award.
Smith’s impressive campaign was recognised with 44 votes to finish ahead of Montmorency skipper Jesse Donaldson and Tardio.
Donaldson, a pre-vote favourite, only polled five votes in a surprise snub from the umpires.
There was less drama in Division 2 and 3.
Lower Plenty star Tom Keys claimed the league best-and-fairest after a dominant season in midfield and attack.
Keys pipped reigning medallist, Eltham captain Brent Macaffer, who was ineligible after copping a suspension late in the season while Banyule big man Tim Martin was third.
Keys made it consecutive Division 2 medals for the Bears after Patrick Flynn was crowned the competition’s best player in 2018 as the club won the premiership and promotion.
The @northernfnl Division 2 league best-and-fairest winner is ...
— Ben Higgins (@ben_higgins84) September 22, 2021
1. Tom Keys (Lower Plenty)
2. Brent Macaffer (Eltham)*
3. Tim Martin (Banyule) pic.twitter.com/h4PhHuIC3z
The @northernfnl Division 3 league best-and-fairest winner is ...
— Ben Higgins (@ben_higgins84) September 22, 2021
1. Chris Ryall (Kilmore)
2. Masaki Miki (Heidelberg West)
3. Chris Barton (Kilmore) & 3. Josh Mazzarella (Mernda) pic.twitter.com/WLle8YJG3Q
It caps a spectacular season for Keys who also finished third in the Coaches’ MVP and fifth in the league goalkicking with 25 majors.
Banyule’s Reuben Blackmore-Moore won the Coaches’ MVP ahead of four Lower Plenty players – Josh Turner, Keys, Darcy Barden and Tom Blake.
Despite a knee injury ending his season prematurely, Kilmore’s Chris Ryall was crowned the Division 3 league best-and-fairest.
Ryall played eight games but did enough to earn 15 votes, finishing ahead of Heidelberg West’s Masaki Miki and Kilmore teammate Chris Barton and Mernda young gun Josh Mazzarella.
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He is Kilmore’s first Northern league medallist following the club’s shift from the Riddell District in 2016. Robbie Wittmer won the RDFL’s Bowen Medal in 2002.
Barton made it an awards double for the Blues, winning the Coaches’ MVP ahead of Miki and Kilmore skipper Leigh Irons.
Division 1 minor premier West Preston-Lakeside was named Senior Club of the Year and Thomastown Hall of Fame legend Ernie O’Brien was awarded Volunteer of the Year.
Last week, Diamond Creek great Stacey Gannon claimed a fifth A-Grade netball league best-and-fairest, while fellow Creeker Steph Audley won the Division 1 women’s league medal.
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