Outer East league: Narre Warren’s Tom Miller wins the Shane Smith Medal
Tom Miller, Narre’s noise maker and star midfielder, has bolted off with the Outer East league’s top individual award.
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Narre Warren coach Shane Dwyer jokes he “wouldn’t mind a couple more’’ Tom Millers.
The Magpies vice-captain on Monday night bolted off with the Outer East league’s Shane Smith medal as the best and fairest player in Premier division for season 2023.
He averaged 36 disposals per game in the midfield to win comfortably, despite missing the last three rounds with an ankle injury.
Tough and talented, Miller — a homegrown Narre Warren product — has been at the heart of the Magpies 16-1 season, which will reach a crescendo in next week’s grand final.
“He’s a hard physical beast,” Dwyer said of Miller.
“He’s not too dissimilar to (former Narre Warren champion) Michael Collins.
“He’s probably not as big as Collo but he’s a big, thickset midfielder, hard at it and he gets it inside and outside, really good overhead, really good kick and a really good leader for our footy club.”
Dwyer said Miller, who is an electrician, has a knack of sparking the young Narre Warren side, and not just during games.
“He’s one of the guys on the track who makes all the noise,” Dwyer said.
“I have a thing where I just want them to make noise on the track because we’re a pretty quiet group and you can tell when he’s not training because the noise level is well down. Energy and everything, mate, he’s just a super player.”
The Division 1 league medal was won by Healesville captain Nick Mende and Officer’s Luke Smaluch.
Jordan Hattwell from Mount Evelyn won the Premier Division reserves B&F medal. Daymon Hutchison from Berwick Springs won the Division 1 reserves B&F.
Sam Toner from Narre Warren won the U19 medal.
Kaitlyn Black from Mount Evelyn won the Premier Division A Grade netball B&F.
Samantha Neil from ROC won the Division 1 A Grade Netball B&F medal.
Puiti Laban from Narre Warren won the Premier Division B Grade netball B&F medal.
Karli Topou from Seville won the Division 1 B Grade netball B&F medal.
Mera Pringle from Olinda Ferny Creek and Ava Upton from Wandin won the Premier Division C Grade netball B&F medals.
Tarsha Collette from Seville won the Division 1 C Grade netball B&F medal.
Amanda Baker from Pakenham Lions won the Premier Division D Grade netball B&F medal.
Charli Lawler from the ROC netball club won the Division 1 D Grade netball B&F medal.
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