Woodend-Hesket dominates the Riddell District Bowen-Ryan Medal night

Woodend-Hesket won just about every award on offer on the Riddell District’s night of night, including the big three league best-and-fairests.

Woodend-Hesket's Daniel Toman wins the RDFNL Bowen Medal.

Woodend-Hesket capped a memorable season by taking home a swag of awards from the Riddell District’s night of nights.

The Hawks completed a league best-and-fairest sweep as Daniel Toman won the Bowen Medal, Tayissa Coppinger tied for the Ryan Medal and Mariam Habib took home the inaugural women’s football medal.

A fortnight ago, the club lost the football grand final but celebrated a historic first netball premiership.

Flag-winning coach Meg Grbac was named Netballer of the Year and Toman and Habib were named Men’s and Women’s Footballer of the Year, while Grbac and Marcus Stapleton won best netball and men’s football defender.

Grbac and Josh Pound were both named Coach of the Year and Hawks president Paul Podbury was awarded the RDFNL Unsung Hero.

Woodend-Hesket's Daniel Toman wins the RDFNL Bowen Medal.

Wallan's Gemma Grimmond and Riddell's Ellen Close won the RDFNL Ryan Medal in a three-way tie with Woodend-Hesket's Tayissa Coppinger

In his return to Gilbert Gordon Oval this season, Toman was crowned the Riddell District’s top footballer in a thrilling count.

The Hawks midfielder polled 21 votes to hold off Riddell star Dylan Tarczon by one, while teammate Tim Martin was third in his first season at the club.

“The club’s going well on and off the field, isn’t it?” Toman said.

“I thought I had a pretty consistent year but obviously didn’t poll much in the second half. I was lucky to hang on really.

“It was great to be back, probably the most enjoyable year of footy I’ve had, a lot of my mates are still up there and my brother played this year as well.

“We gelled really well this year, Josh had us going as a collective unit and there was a good feeling at the club.”

Asked if the club could go one step further next season, Toman saw no reason why not.

“I’ll be there again next year, hopefully we can go one step further.

“I don’t think we’re going to lose many, we’ve got a good group, we just need to try and knock Diggers off.”

The RDFNL Football Team of the Year.

The RDFNL Women's Team of the Year.

The RDFNL Netball Team of the Year.

Toman and Martin were joined by Woodend-Hesket teammates Stapleton and Riley Paterson in the Team of the Year.

Riddell had a league-high five players selected, led by Tarczon, while premier Diggers Rest had just three players named.

In the Ryan Medal, there was a three-way tie at the top.

Hawk Tayissa Coppinger followed up her best-on-court performance in the club’s history-making A-Grade premiership to win the medal alongside Gemma Grimmond of Wallan and Riddell’s Ellen Close.

The trio polled 20 votes to finish one ahead of Western Rams’ Malia Seumanutafa, while last year’s winning Grbac was a further vote back.

Grand final rivals Woodend-Hesket and Riddell both had three players selected, the only clubs with multiple nominees.

There was also a three-way tie in the B-Grade best-and-fairest, a four-way tie in the C-Grade and two-player finish in the under-19s in an incredible night of voting.

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And in the inaugural women’s football season, Habib finished on top with 19 votes.

The Hawks star polled a best-on-ground three votes in the final game of the year to pip Kyneton’s Taylah Moore, while fellow Tiger Belinda Hateley was third.

Romsey’s Darcy Lockens and Riddell’s Madison Brown were named the football and netball Rising Stars respectively.

Wallan was crowned the Club of the Year with Woodend-Hesket in second.

RIDDELL DISTRICT AWARD WINNERS

Bowen Medal: Daniel Toman (Woodend-Hesket)

Ryan Medal: Tayissa Coppinger (Woodend-Hesket), Gemma Grimmond (Wallan), Ellen Close (Riddell)

Women’s B&F: Miriam Habib (Woodend-Hesket)

Footballer of the Year: Daniel Toman (Woodend-Hesket)

Netball of the Year: Meg Grbac (Woodend-Hesket)

Women’s Footballer of the Year: Mariam Habib (Woodend-Hesket)

Reserves B&F: Matt Traynor (Wallan)

Under-19.5s B&F: Marcus Tucker (Romsey)

Club 18 B&F: Shaun Buttigieg-Clarke (Eynesbury)

B-Grade B&F: Brooke Baker (Diggers Rest), Christine Harris (Riddell), Rebecca Morabito (Melton Centrals)

C-Grade B&F: Alira Egan (Macedon), Sara Tangaroa (Western Rams), Ashleigh Lobb (Riddell), Linda Romanski (Riddell)

Under-19 B&F: Jess Martin (Riddell), Hayley Brown (Woodend-Hesket)

Turner Medal: Darcy Lockens (Romsey)

Netball Rising Star: Madison Brown (Riddell)

Football Defender: Marcus Stapleton (Woodend-Hesket)

Netball Defender: Meg Grbac (Woodend-Hesket)

Women’s Football Defender: Taylah Moore (Kyneton)

Unsung Hero: Paul Podbury (Woodend-Hesket)

Club of the Year: Wallan