Outer East league: Narre Warren’s Jake Richardson wins league medal

Magpies forward Jake Richardson expected a teammate to win the Outer East league’s top award, but he was the one making an acceptance speech.

Narre Warren key forward Jake Richardson has had a stellar season. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Jake Richardson is Narre Warren from top to toe.

He grew up playing junior football with Narre Foxes, progressed to Narre’s Under 18s and then into the seniors.

Apart from one season with Golden Square in the Bendigo league when was living up there for uni, he’s a rusted-on Narre Warren man, and proud of it.

Surprisingly, Richardson had never won a best and fairest medal, at league or club level.

But that all changed on Monday night when he was voted a clear-cut winner of the Shane Smith Medal, the Outer East league’ highest individual award in Premier division.

“It was a bit of a shock,’’ Richardson said.

“I had a reasonable year but definitely going in I wasn’t expecting to get close really with blokes like Kurt Mutimer in my team, Trent Cody, Tom Miller who get plenty of the footy.

“Obviously we’re not out there to get (individual) medals. Hopefully we get the job done this week.

“But it’s nice recognition.’’

Jake Richardson.

Richardson kicked 72 goals from centre half-forward this season to help Narre Warren reach Sunday’s grand final.

Magpies coach Shane Dwyer said the 27-year-old, who is a physiotherapist at Monash Dandenong, had enjoyed “a super year’’.

“He’s a really good player, he’s just got better and better this year,’’ Dwyer said.

“It’s nice to see him recognised. You don’t see many forwards win those medals.

“It goes to show how good a season he’s had.

“He’s just a really mobile, six foot five centre half forward who can mark the footy, (and take) contested marks.

“I mean, they had him at full forward in the team of the year but he actually played centre half forward all year.

“He looks after himself and prepares well, he does everything right. We’re pretty lucky to have him.’’

Richardson said he’d worked hard on his goal kicking this season.

“It helped kicking straighter this year,’’ he said.

“In the past I’ve been a bit fifty-fifty in front of goal but I’ve done a lot of work on that pre and post training throughout the year and now I just feel comfortable with my routine.

“And I think it helps working as a physio, I sort of know what needs to be done to get up week in week out. I look after myself the best possible way.’’

Richardson polled 26 votes to finish ahead of Wandin star Pattty Bruzzese on 19.

Dwyer said he was surprised Narre Warren gun midfielder Mutimer polled only 14 votes.

“It was staggering to be honest,’’ he said.

“For someone who gets so much of the footy and he’s right under the umpire’s nose…’’

There were co-winners of the Outer East’s Division 1 medal, with Berwick Springs captain Daniel Ousley and Seville star Jake Strachan sharing the honour.