Local Footy looks at the campaigns of 10 contenders for tonight’s Northern Football League Division 1 best and fairest

LEAGUE best and fairest awards are meant to be the domain of midfielders. But four tall players have won the NFL award over the past four years. Can Greensborough ruckman Michael Hooper join them tonight?

Michael Hooper of Greensborough is named best on ground during the NFL Division 1 grand final between Heidelberg and Greensborough played at Preston City Oval on Saturday 20th September, 2014. Picture: Mark Dadswell

FEW would have predicted West Coast Eagles’ midfielder Matthew Priddis would claim the coveted Brownlow Medal on Monday night. This year’s Frank Rosbrook Trophy, for the Northern Football League’s best and fairest Division 1 player, promises to be just as open. Local Footy looks at the seasons of ten of the contenders ahead of tonight’s count.

Michael Hooper (Greensborough)

Named in the best players more than any footballer in Division 1 this year, Hooper seems destined to be among the leading votegetters in a side that won 14 matches for the campaign. It is often said the league medals are won by midfielders, but Cameron Cloke, Matt Dennis, Michael Finn and Nick Meese have proved that theory wrong over the past three seasons.

Games: 18

Goals: 15

Times in best: 14

Ryan Jackson (Montmorency)

One opposition club labelled Jackson impossible to tag during the season. The hardworking midfielder had a fantastic season at club and representative level, leading the NFL to victory against the EDFL early in the campaign. While he polled just six votes in last year’s count, Jackson should smash that number this year.

Games: 18

Goals: 15

Times in best: 13

Darcy Barden (Lower Plenty)

Barden is the popular coaches tip for tonight’s count. The versatile Lower Plenty star only played 15 games for the year and was the Bears’ best player on at least four occasions. Whittlesea coach Brad Dean said he was the player that stood out more than any other from opposition tapes this year. It will be interesting to see if the umpires felt the same way.

Northcote Park’s Bronik Davies handballs against Bundoora this year. Picture: Kylie Else.

Games: 15

Goals: 27

Times in best: 13

Bronik Davies (Northcote Park)

The Cougars might not have played finals, but that didn’t stop Davies producing another consistent year. The midfielder might get a good run at this year’s trophy, but you would expect he would need to poll well in games Northcote Park won. He finishes the season strongly and was named in the Cougars’ best players three times in the last five rounds.

Games: 18

Goals: 10

Times in best: 12

James Kroussoratis (Eltham)

A run of 26 goals between rounds 4 and 7 could see Kroussoratis as one of the early leaders in the race for this year’s award. He finished the season with 53 goals in a team that finished ninth and was in the Panthers’ best players in five of the last seven matches. His biggest concern will be the number of games Eltham won for the year — three — and whether he can poll in a losing team.

Games: 17

Goals: 53

Times in best: 8

Cathal Corr (Macleod)

The Collingwood-listed VFL player was one of the major reasons the Roos climbed into the top five. His quality was underlined throughout finals, but Corr should also attract votes over the home-and-away season. Corr only played 15 games, but was in Macleod’s best three players in 10 of those games.

Games: 15

Goals: 21

Times in best: 11

Jesse Donaldson (Montmorency)

Donaldson showed off his ability to get forward and hit the scoreboard on a number of occasions this year, most notably his five-goal haul against West Preston in Round 5. While the Magpies lost by two points that day, Donaldson is likely to vie with Peter Shepherd for the three votes. Will face competition from Jackson, but Montmorency’s strong finish to the year puts its stars in the frame for a high finish.

Games: 16

Goals: 27

Times in best: 12

Charles Gaylard (Heidelberg)

With the Tigers finishing the season on top of the table, Gaylard and Heidelberg teammate Paul Bower could come into contention in the later rounds of the count. In his first season with the Tigers, Gaylard produced a consistent campaign and finished with 15 goals from 20 games, including finals.

Games: 18

Goals: 13

Times in best: 8

Jason Rogers (Greensborough)

Shaun Gannon boots West Preston-Lakeside forward against Bundoora. Picture: Kylie Else.

Rogers produced his best football for the year when it mattered most — in finals. Those matches won’t get him votes, but his efforts during the middle of the campaign could rocket him up the leaderboard. Rogers was named in Greensborough’s best players 10 times over the last 12 matches he played.

Games: 16

Goals: 22

Times in best: 11

Shaun Gannon (West Preston-Lakeside)

The Roosters skipper only played 14 games throughout the year due to persistent injuries, but he was as important as any player in his side’s pursuit of a finals spot. Having played the lowest number of games of most of the leading contenders, it will take a special effort for Gannon to salute.

North Heidelberg;s Jeff Ryan should poll strongly in the Division 2 award. PictureL Sarah Matray.

Games: 14

Goals: 4

Times in best: 10

DIVISION 2

Expect North Heidelberg and Fitzroy Star’s top players to lead the race for the Division 2 best and fairest.

Jeff Ryan, Shane Harvey, Malcolm Dow and Mernda’s Les Adams should poll well.

DIVISION 3

Reservoir and Thomastown were the teams to beat all season and could find themselves with a league best and fairest at their club by the end of the night.

David Folino and grand final best-on-ground Matthew Cupo are considered the Bears’ best hopes, while Daniel Couwenberg had a strong season for the Mustangs.

James McLean-Brunton could be one to watch having been named in Heidelberg West’s best players in every game he played.

Thomastown will be hoping Matthew Cupo can add to his best-on-ground medal from the club’s premiership win.cha Picture: Josie Hayden