St Albans player Harrison Cockerell wins AFL Vic Mark of the Year with help from club campaign and ‘specky bag’ teammate

They finished last on the ladder, but this club stopped at nothing to win a Mark of the Year gong. And the recipient had a human stepladder on his own team to thank.

Harry Cockerell took out AFL Victoria’s Mark of the Year.

St Albans high-flyer Harrison Cockerell took out AFL Victoria’s Local Footy Mark of the Year, and it was all thanks to a concerted campaign from the club.

The Supersaints finished last on the Geelong league ladder this season but the club stopped at nothing to secure this gong.

WATCH THE MARK IN THE INSTAGRAM POST BELOW

St Albans encouraged every Tom, Dick and ‘Harrison’ to get voting for the 21-year-old on AFL Victoria’s social media channels.

On one Facebook post displaying the six nominated marks and telling fans to leave a first name as their vote, ‘Harrison’ was written more than 60 times out of the 200 comments.

Sure enough, Cockerell’s soaring specky on the wing against Leopold earning Mark of the Year honours. But he isn’t sure it is the best grab from his club this year, let alone the state of Victoria.

“All the boys were getting around it and telling their missus and friends and family to vote. Everyone at St Albans was trying their best.

“The boys around the club had a bit of a laugh about it when I got nominated,” Cockerell said.

“We were hoping it would (win), but yeah it is pretty funny and a bit of a surprise.

“There is some pretty good marks in (the nominations). A few of the boys from St Albans had some pretty impressive marks this year so we were always trying to one-up each other.

“Hayden Eliot, he took some absolute rippers. And Joe Osborne as well, he started the trend, he took some early on in the year.”

Cockerell, who kicked 19 goals in his first season with St Albans last year, had dropped a couple of marks that day against the Lions before his then teammate Ben Miller sent an “absolute pearler” up the wing.

Just like the countless amount of social media comments, it had his name written all over it.

But Cockerell has one teammate in particular to thank: his step ladder, Nathan Cole.

“Nathan Cole was doing the team thing going back with the pack and then the poor bloke just got caught in the crossfire. Then went up and I was lucky enough to hang onto it.

“And I’m pretty sure I shanked the kick straight after it so that was a bit of a reality check.

“He is not going to be a fan of being called ‘step ladder’ a bit more publicly now, but he was the specky bag.”

Nathan Cole takes a mark — but against Leopold he was the stepladder. Picture: Mark Wilson

At least Cole might get something for his selfless act.

“He still cops it to this day. (The boys say) ‘are you going to share the prize with ‘Coley?’” Cockerell said with a laugh.

“He’s just always saying, ‘I was doing the team thing’.”

Cockerell is excited for next season under new St Albans coach and former Leopold assistant Rick Munn, who wasn’t coaching that day when Cockerell flew high into the sky against the Lions.

The marking forward put off-season recruits Jed Warrin and Nic Clarke on the radar as players to watch.

“Pre-season has started really strong. Rick is a really good bloke and he has brought on some really big recruits so everyone is pretty up and about,” Cockerell said.

“Jed Warrin he played a year out at Apollo Bay last year and he has started out really hot. And Nic Clarke, I reckon he will surprise a few people next year and kick some big goals for us.”

Originally published as St Albans player Harrison Cockerell wins AFL Vic Mark of the Year with help from club campaign and ‘specky bag’ teammate