The catalyst behind Ricky Schraven’s Bowen Medal-winning season

Wallan’s Bowen Medallist Ricky Schraven admits he enjoyed himself a little too much after his VFL career, revealing the catalyst for his sensational season.

Ricky Schraven in action for Wallan. Picture: Hamish Blair

Wallan coach Dan Nolan raised eyebrows when he labelled Ricky Schraven a Bowen Medal contender in July, 2020.

It proved prophetic as 14 months later Schraven was crowned the Riddell District’s best-and-fairest player on the back of an outstanding 2021 campaign.

Nolan jokingly presented the former Coburg VFL-listed onballer with a “best in pre-season” ribbon but was nothing but serious when he predicted Schraven would become one of the competition’s elite midfielders this year.

The catalyst for the rise? A look in the mirror.

“After I finished up VFL I probably enjoyed myself a bit too much in the off-season,” Schraven said.

“I always struggled with my skin folds at Coburg, I knew if I didn’t train and just ate what I wanted and had as many beers as I wanted I knew I’d blow out.

“I had to pull my head in a bit.

“We had a good chat about it, I said ‘I know what I can bring to the table, you haven’t seen much of me yet, let me drop these kilos’.

“I knew I had it in me, I knew once I dropped the weight I’d be a 10-times better player than my first couple of years at the club, I just needed to pull my head in a bit.”

Nolan was quick to remind Schraven of his prediction after the medal win.

“He messaged me after (the Bowen Medal) saying have you got that ribbon still,” Schraven laughed.

The Wallan star caught the eye with a number of scintillating performances and averaged a goal a game.

He claimed the Bowen Medal with 11 votes, one clear of ineligible Romsey pair Nathan Hoy and Aaron Paterson.

Ricky Schraven during this time at Coburg. Picture: Richard Serong

Reigning medallist Diggers Rest star Jaidyn Caruana, Macedon’s Matt Dick and Melton Centrals big man Peter Akech finished tied for third on nine votes.

The Magpies had an incredible nine players selected in the RDFL Team of the Year – Schraven, Jesse Davies, Matt Perri, Brenton Cox, Michael Mannix, Shaun Stewart, Corey Grindley and Corey Viani.

Perri was named Footballer of the Year and took home the league goalkicking award, while Nolan was named Coach of the Year.

Schraven credited his teammates for helping him reach his best and was looking forward to hopefully ending Wallan’s premiership drought.

“I thought I played pretty well, it helps having the team we’ve got. The boys put in half the work for you,” he said.

2021: CANCELLED SEASON NOT A WASTE FOR WALLAN

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“To have Jesse (Davies) come back, Jarryd Bonello is starting to hit his prime, Michael Mannix is a superstar, Stevie Boyall, (Corey) Viani, (Matt) Perri, they’re already stars of the game.

“We’ve got a lot of boys that have played high-level footy, to have them to bounce off is incredible.

“The depth we go through as well, half the twos boys could be playing senior footy somewhere else if they wanted to.

“The young boys coming through are really good, so we’ve set ourselves up not just to win a flag next year even the next five years we’re going to be strong.”

MAGPIE, HAWK SCOOP RDFNL TOP GONGS

Wallan midfielder Ricky Schraven and Woodend-Hesket goalkeeper Megan Grbac have beaten crack fields to claim the Riddell District’s Bowen and Ryan medals.

Schraven is the second Magpie in three years to claim the league’s highest individual honour, following Jesse Davies’ win in 2018.

Sometimes overshadowed by high-profile teammates such as Davies, spearhead Matt Perri and Michael Mannix, Schraven has proven himself one of the most dangerous onballers in the competition.

In three seasons since returning from VFL club Coburg, Schraven has played 48 games, kicked 32 goals and been named in Wallan’s best on 25 occasions.

Schraven polled 11 votes, just one vote ahead of ineligible Romsey duo Aaron Paterson and Nathan Hoy.

Bowen Medallist Ricky Schraven. Picture: Rob Leeson

Well done guys. Fantastic effort in an incredibly tough year. pic.twitter.com/n4h5HU46eP

— Wallan FNC (@WallanFNC) October 1, 2021

The Magpies gun picked up a medal-winning two votes in the final round win over Woodend-Hesket to jump clear.

“I’m humbled by the number of votes I received, I didn’t expect to be anywhere near this,” he said after the count on the RDFNL Facebook page.

“To the whole Wallan Football Netball Club, the board, the supporters, the coaches for supporting me for the past number of years I wouldn’t be the player I am today without you guys.

“To my boys, it’s so disappointing with the early finish but it just gives us fuel for next year.

“I know this is an individual award but you’re only as good as the 22 you run out with every weekend.”

Reigning medallist Diggers Rest star Jaidyn Caruana, Macedon’s Matt Dick and Melton Centrals big man Peter Akech finished tied for third on nine votes.

Davies finished a vote further back, level with Woodend-Hesket boom recruit James Vistarini.

Perri secured a second straight leading goalkicker award with 46 goals and also took home the Footballer of the Year.

Wallan coach Daniel Nolan was named Coach of the Year as the Magpies swept the major football awards.

The club also had an incredible nine players selected in the Team of the Year – Schraven, Davies, Perri, Brenton Cox, Michael Mannix, Shaun Stewart, Corey Grindley and Corey Viani.

Meanwhile, Grbac became the first Woodend-Hesket netballer to claim the Ryan Medal.

2021: CANCELLED SEASON NOT A WASTE FOR WALLAN

LEADER: GET YOUR RIDDELL DISTRICT NEWS HERE

TALENT: TOP 150 LOCAL FOOTBALLERS OF 2021 NAMED

The star defender polled 16 votes to take the competition’s top award with teammate Hayley Rogers completing a Hawks quinella on 13 votes and Macedon’s Chloe Wilson third on 12 votes.

Grbac was also named Netballer of the Year and Hawks coach Carly Arkinstall named Coach of the Year.

Wallan and Macedon each had three players selected in the Team of the Year.

Diggers Rest was named Club of the Year, Wallan secretary Helen Mahoney was awarded the Unsung Hero and Western Rams president Mark Smith recognised with the Community Builder award.