Best and fairest: Bendigo, Ballarat, Geelong, Ovens and Murray, Sunraysia medal chances
The country football season has crossed the halfway mark and the countdown to finals is well and truly on. See the leading chances for major league medal glory.
The country football season has crossed the halfway mark and the countdown to finals is well and truly on.
In addition to discussion about what teams will play finals and win the first premierships to be awarded since 2019, is who will take home medals as the best and fairest player in leagues across Victoria.
Geelong’s Mathieson Medal, the Ovens and Murray’s Morris Medal, the Goulburn Valley’s Morrison Medal, Bendigo’s Michelsen Medal, Ballarat’s Henderson Medal, Hampden’s Maskell Medal and Gippsland’s Trood Award and Rodda Medal are among the counts all keenly awaited come finals time.
The Weekly Times takes a look at the leading chances for major league medal glory.
BALLARAT
Brett Bewley has made the impact Darley had hoped he would when he returned to the club.
After three years with Fremantle, Bewley is dominating in his comeback year, featuring in his team’s best players seven times to be right in the mix for the Henderson Medal.
East Point forward Jordan Johnston has been equally dominant with Jack Walker also having a great season for undefeated Melton.
Last year’s winner, Sebastopol’s Lachlan Cassidy has had a wretched 2022 after suffering a serious hamstring injury in round three.
BENDIGO
Gisborne young gun Brad Bernacki’s chances of going one better in the Michelsen Medal following his runner-up finish in 2019 has been slowed by a call-up to Essendon’s VFL team.
The talented midfielder played seven games for Gisborne before being a regular with the Bombers VFL in the last month.
He has opened the door for the likes of Strathfieldsaye’s Jake Moorehead and Eaglehawk’s Noah Wheeler.
Golden Square’s Jake Thrum can’t be discounted midway through the season.
CENTRAL MURRAY
Kerang’s Ryan Gillingham started the season in red hot form for the undefeated flag favourites, but he has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury.
Teammate and club co-coach Bryce Curnow won the medal last year and can’t be discounted.
Elsewhere, Lake Boga ruckman James Simpson has made a big impression in his first season in the competition.
Balranald co-coach Jydon Neagle is also in the mix after joining the club where his late father and Essendon star Merv previously played and also coached.
GEELONG
In a wide open race, Leopold skipper Marcus Thompson is a genuine contender to go one better than two previous runner-up finishes in the Mathieson Medal.
He is thriving in the midfield under the coaching of former Geelong great Garry Hocking.
Baxter Mensch, the son of another former Geelong player David, is having a great season in his first year at Geelong West after previously playing for Newtown & Chilwell and Torquay.
St Mary’s star Harry Benson had his back-to-back medal chances dashed when he suffered a broken jaw recently in a heavy collision with three-time medal winner, Matt McMahon, who dodged suspension for the incident.
North Shore playing coach Nick Dixon can’t be discounted from medal contention either.
GIPPSLAND
Sale star Shannen Lange won the Trood Award Rodda Medal in last year’s Covid-shortened season, which continued a great run for the club in the prestigious honour.
Lange would become the club’s first player to go back-to-back since Bob Mason in 1954-55 if successful again.
Another previous winner, Leongatha’s Tom Marriott, is also in the mix as is Warragul first-year player Nick Graham.
Hudson Holmes has been a consistent player off halfback for Maffra and is one to watch in the second half of the season.
GOULBURN VALLEY
Jack McHale has taken his game to another level in the last two year’s with ladder leaders Echuca after crossing from Murray league club Moama.
He does his best work in the clinches along with co-coach Andrew Walker, who has also had a strong first half of the season.
Mooroopna midfielder Jack Hunt has figured in the club’s best players six times this year with Seymour Jack Murphy in the best seven times despite missing one game when he played for VFL side Northern Bullants.
Lachie Smith, who regularly alternates between centre half-back and centre half-forward for Kyabram, depending on the state of play, should also poll votes.
HAMPDEN
Koroit has not only had a great record in grand finals in recent years, but it has also produced four players to win Maskell Medals since 2011 including Isaac Templeton, who went back-to-back in 2014-15.
Ruckman Jeremy Hausler is shaping as a big chance to join the list of Koroit winners by being in the team’s best players nine out of 10 times this season.
His captain and midfield general Liam Hoy has also had a great start to 2022 as has South Warrnambool onballer Josh Saunders.
Portland duo Daniel Jackson and Toby Jennings could also poll well.
MORNINGTON PENINSULA NEPEAN
In a race with many chances, Rosebud’s Liam McKenna definitely has to be in the mix given he has figured in his team’s best players in all matches to date this season.
The midfielder has been super consistent after playing with Essendon and Port Melbourne in the VFL.
Frankston Bombers’ Khan Haretuku, Dromana’s Billy Guerts and Frankston YCW’s Blake Mullane are also considered chances.
MURRAY
Cobram has been the standout team of 2022, but also producing an O’Dwyer Medal winner might prove difficult given its depth of talent.
Centreman Harry Beasley looms as its best medal chance since Ryan Bongetti went back-to-back in 2010-11.
Mulwala’s Jackson Gash is a previous medal winner in 2019 and is having a great season along with fellow midfielder Matt Gorman.
Nathalia’s Brodie Ross has played most of his career as a key forward, but has been performing well in the ruck this year.
OVENS AND MURRAY
Yarrawonga has assembled a long list of star players and the one who is having the most uninterrupted run is Leigh Masters.
The former Williamstown star has been a general across halfback with Yarrawonga back in the flag mix.
Also playing well across halfback and in medal contention is former Collingwood player Sam Murray, who is having his best season since joining Wangaratta Rovers.
He previously finished top-three in the award when he played for Wodonga Raiders before being drafted initially by Sydney.
Wangaratta’s Joe Richards remains in contention despite a recent guilty plea for an incident arising from the recent loss to Yarrawonga.
Teammate Callum Moore, the reigning medal winner, has been slowed up with an ankle injury in recent weeks.
SUNRAYSIA
Ouyen United’s star midfield recruit Kaine Stevens is producing the form the club hoped when it enticed him across from SANFL club West Adelaide this season.
In addition to big possession numbers, Stevens is also kicking goals and must surely be racking up plenty of votes along with teammate Dallas Willsmore.
Wentworth coach Wade Hancock can’t be discounted with his club sitting on top of the ladder undefeated and him contributing 50-plus goals.
WIMMERA
Stawell coach Tom Eckel is leading from the front and is a serious contender for the Toohey Medal.
Eckel was in the best players again when Stawell ended Ararat’s undefeated start to the season.
Ararat forward Tom Mills started the season on fire with 22 goals in the opening three games before coming onto the radar of the Northern Bullants VFL side.
Ararat teammate Matthew Hutchesson has been super consistent in the first half of the season and has to be in the medal mix.
Northern Territory recruit Michael Bowden has also been regularly in the best for Dimboola which has charged back into flag contention.
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