Tilly Shepherd wins league best-and-fairest in Northern and Riddell District leagues

Tilly Shepherd only needed seven games to claim the Northern league’s highest netball honour and made it a stunning league best-and-fairest double when she claimed the Riddell District Ryan Medal.

Tilly Shepherd wins the Riddell District Ryan Medal.

One league best-and-fairest is special, two in one season is elite.

Tilly Shepherd achieved just that this season, winning both the Northern and Riddell District top-flight netball medals.

The star defender was shocked when he claimed the NFNL Division 1 award after playing just seven games for Fitzroy Stars.

She was equally surprised to take home the RDFNL A-Grade Ryan Medal last week as Kyneton made its league debut but won just four games.

Shepherd was playing three games at week at stages during the year.

She combined Fitzroy Stars and Kyneton duties on Friday and Saturdays with Victorian Netball League appearances for Melbourne University on Wednesdays but the busy scheduled turned out to be a success.

“I didn’t plan on playing in three different leagues at all,” Shepherd said.

“Three games a week was a lot but it was close to the end of the VNL season.

“It wasn’t like I was playing a full (VNL) game every week, so it was really nice playing in three different leagues and playing against different types of players.

“It’s really nice to be recognised in both leagues.

“This year I thought it was important to go into every game with respect for your teammates, the umpires and the opposition.

“That was the main thing I took to every game and not getting worked up if it’s not going your way.”

Shepherd played 15 of 18 matches for Kyneton this season as the club moved across from the Bendigo league.

The Tigers only won four games but the standout goalkeeper clearly made an impact, winning the league’s top honour with 23 votes, pipping Woodend-Hesket premiership coach and 2023 winner Tayissa Coppinger by one.

Melton Centrals’ Talasa Helen Aumua was third.

“The Riddell (competition) is outside so you’ve got all the different conditions and they play in the pouring with rain,” she said.

“I’ve been playing with Kyneton for three years and we were in the Bendigo league, so this was our first year in the Riddell.

“It was a really good comp and you see a lot of the girls in different VNL teams and in the Northern league too.

“The club didn’t always have a full A-grade so we didn’t do very well, we finished third last.

“I didn’t think I’d be getting the top votes but I did think I played consistently and happy with my season.”

While she played the full season at Kyneton, Shepherd only joined Fitzroy Stars in Round 5 and only played seven matches.

However, it was enough to earn her 17 votes and the league medal ahead of Whittlesea’s Ella Tennant (15 votes) and Stars’ teammate Leah Seeto (13).

“My mum works with Fitzroy Stars’ coach Anita and I think they were talking about being low on defenders and mum was like my daughter plays, she can fill in if you want.

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“I went to one game and I loved the team so I kept coming back.”

The Riddell District awards were held on Thursday night with Wallan’s Chris Stewart winning the Bowen Medal as the senior football best-and-fairest.

Woodend’s Daniel Toman, the 2023 winner, and Caleb Fisher of Kyneton finished joint second.

Macedon’s Ruby Watts was crowned the women’s football best-and-fairest, polling a remarkable 31 votes, to finish well ahead of Tayla Debono (Melton) on 14 votes and Woodend-Hesket pair Maisy Crowther and Katrina Bau on 12.