AFL Awards 2020: Caleb Serong wins 2020 Rising Star, Lachie Neale MVP
Caleb Serong has taken out the 2020 AFL Rising Star Award as the selectors emphatically answered the question on everyone’s lips about injured Gold Coast jet Matt Rowell. Meanwhile, Brisbane gun Lachie Neale has scooped the pool.
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Judges did not award Gold Coast’s Matthew Rowell a single vote in this year’s NAB AFL Rising Star Award as they almost unanimously settled on Fremantle midfielder Caleb Serong as the winner.
SCROLL DOWN FOR LACHIE NEALE’S BIG AWARDS NIGHT
Eight of the 10 judges gave their top votes to Serong, with Kevin Bartlett and Chris Johnson ranking the Docker second behind only Gold Coast midfielder Noah Anderson.
The No. 8 pick in last year’s national draft, Serong played the final 14 games of the season after being overlooked in the first three rounds.
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The 19-year-old rose to prominence after beating Geelong superstar Patrick Dangerfield in a head-to-head battle in just his fifth game in Round 8, recording 22 disposals and one goal while holding Dangerfield to only 18 touches.
“I think those first four games I was getting a lot less minutes but giving me that starting point (on Dangerfield) … that showed a lot of confidence in me, “ Serong said.
“JL (coach Justin Longmuir) and Carry (assistant coach Josh Carr) giving me that role to play on Danger, he’s one of the best players in the comp. I took a lot of confidence out of that that they had confidence in me to do the role. So if they had confidence in me to do the role, then why shouldn’t I?
“That was a big stepping stone and turning point for me for the year in terms of my confidence and my ability to win the ball but also try and beat or at least match some of the guys that I’ve come up against.”
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Serong averaged 10.8 disposals and 59 SuperCoach ranking points in his four games before the clash with the Cats, but went on to average 19.3 disposals and 90 ranking points from his final 10 matches.
A Victorian product from Warragul in Gippsland, Serong had never stepped foot in Western Australia before joining Fremantle but said he could not have asked for better mentors than he has had at the Dockers.
“I’ve learnt a lot, especially from the midfield guys like Dave (Mundy) and Nat (Fyfe) on-field,” Serong said.
“But off-field the younger guys like Andy Brayshaw and Adam Cerra have taken me under their wing and I’ve learnt so much. They’re two of the most professional guys I’ve ever met and they’re only 20, 21 years old.”
NEALE NAMED PLAYERS’ PLAYER
Brisbane ball magnet Lachie Neale has taken out the league’s most valuable player award by a massive margin after another dominant season in the Lions’ engine room.
Neale on Thursday night was handed the Leigh Matthews Trophy after polling 1120 player votes, well ahead of Port Adelaide’s runner-up Travis Boak (419) and Melbourne dynamo Christian Petracca (398) in third.
Players have long called for key position players to be recognised on awards nights but they couldn’t find room on the podium for Geelong spearhead Tom Hawkins who finished fourth (370) after taking out this year’s Coleman Medal.
And the man who could rise to become St Kilda’s next captain, Jack Steele, finished fifth (207) in reward for his excellent year helping lead the Saints to a drought-breaking finals appearance.
Sydney Swans’ defender Dane Rampe was voted most courageous, Fremantle midfielder Caleb Serong took out the best first-year player ahead of Gold Coast’s Noah Anderson and Hawthorn’s Will Day, and Collingwood superstar Scott Pendlebury was named best captain.
Neale, who is a $1.25 favourite (TAB) to win the Brownlow Medal, finished third in the MVP award last year but took his game to a new level this season, particularly in the forward half of the ground booting 11 goals in the first 11 rounds.
The league’s leading disposal winner, who was traded from Fremantle to the Lions two years ago, averaged 28 possessions, five clearances and three tackles across 17 games.
Neale, 27, said it was incredibly humbling to be recognised by his peers as the Lions attempt to go deep into this year’s finals series.
“It’s an award that I’m super proud to have won, to be voted by those who I play with and against makes it a really special award,” Neale said.
“I really respect the opinion of the other players and to be voted by them this year is something that I will look back on and be really proud of.
“To be alongside some of the other names who have won this award is a feeling that hasn’t sunk in yet.”
Geelong superstar Patrick Dangerfield said Neale had more weapons than just his ability to win contested ball and clearances.
“Lachie has been the standout player in the competition and it’s no surprise that he’s won the vote of the players this year,” he said.
“He’s got that balance between inside and outside play that midfielders aim to strike.
“He’s tough at the clinches and can also hurt teams with his ball use. He saw a former teammate in Nat Fyfe win this award a few years ago and now he’s got a Leigh Matthews Trophy of his own.”
Dual MVP winner Nathan Fyfe gave Neale his blessing to depart the Dockers at the end of 2018 and said he had become the ultimate professional.
“He‘s been incredibly consistent throughout his career and that starts with the way he applies himself with his preparation,” he said.
“Lachie goes about his business quietly behind closed doors and is always looking for avenues to improve – whether that‘s seeking out past players, coaching staff or anyone who might help him gain a competitive edge
“He‘s always working to get his body and mind in a position to be able to execute what is required of him to the highest standard. It’s very rare that you’d see him put together two quarters where he isn’t at his best.”
ADD ANOTHER GONG TO NEALE’S IMPRESSIVE COLLECTION
Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan has lauded Lachie Neale’s training habits, saying his dedication to the game has fuelled Neale’s rise to the top.
Neale took out an extraordinary triple treat on Thursday night, winning the Shadforth Financial Group AFL Coaches award, All-Australian selection and the AFL Players’ Association MVP.
Neale won the Coaches’ player of the year award on 93 votes ahead of Melbourne’s Christian Petracca (78) and Port Adelaide star Travis Boak (77).
At 177cm, Neale doesn’t not have the same size as some of the game’s other star ballwinners such as Scott Pendlebury, Nat Fyfe and Marcus Bontempelli.
But Fagan said it was Neale’s drive and professionalism that helped set him apart.
“Lachie is relentless in his efforts to improve, he wants to be the best player he can be and he wants success for our club,’’ Fagan said.
That drive sets a standard for everyone at the Lions.
“His preparation is first class, he works incredibly hard on the fundamentals of the game and his appetite to learn is insatiable.
“As a coach you can’t ask for any more than that.’’
Neale said the coaches player of the year award was a huge honour.
“I’m thrilled to receive this award. The coaches are the greatest minds in the game and to receive this type of recognition from them is very humbling and something I’m proud of,’’ Neale said.
AFL Coaches Association CEO Mark Brayshaw congratulated Neale on an outstanding year.
“What a credit to Lachie that his sensational 2020 performances have seen him crowned the coaches best, he should be honoured to win this Award,” Brayshaw said.
“The coaches have a unique perspective on what succeeds in each of the games and take care in allocating their votes, which we believe makes the Coaches Champion Player Award the most prestigious of all the individual Awards in the AFL.”