Best & fairest: Strathmerton’s Jake Ellery wins Picola league Pearce Medal
Strathmerton’s Jake Ellery and Waaia’s Ash Holland have taken the top two placings in Picola’s best and fairest, before facing off in Saturday’s grand final.
The top two placegetters in the Picola District’s best and fairest award – Strathmerton’s Jake Ellery and Waaia’s Ash Holland – will go head-to-head in Saturday’s grand final.
The Pearce Medal count was held on Monday night and Ellery polled 27 votes to beat Holland by three.
Holland won the medal last year with Ellery finishing fourth.
Ellery polled three votes in Strathmerton’s last round win over Katunga to seal his victory.
Rennie’s Cameron Sudholz finished third on 22 votes, one ahead of Katunga’s Cameron Bishop.
Deniliquin Rovers’ Chrissy Hurst won the A-grade best and fairest.
Waaia and Strathmerton have been the standout teams of the Picola District league this season.
They finished the home and away rounds 14-1 win-loss records, with Waaia’s superior percentage ensuring it captured the minor premiership.
Holland was Waaia’s best player in its preliminary final rout of Tungamah by 113 points to seal a grand final berth.
Strathmerton had a tougher battle with Katunga in the other preliminary final to win by 29 points.
HORSHAM DISTRICT
Rapanyup’s Mitchell Gleeson has taken out the Horsham District league’s best and fairest.
Gleeson, who plays in the ruck and also in the midfield, polled 28 votes to win by six from Edenhope-Apsley’s Ben McIntyre.
Gleeson won a Feeny Medal in the North Central league playing for Charlton in 2019 before joining Rupanyup, which bowed out of the premiership race in the second week of finals.
McIntyre won a Wimmera league Toohey Medal in 2019 playing for Minyip-Murtoa being joining Edenhope-Apsley.
Rapanyup won the grand final last year with Gleeson playing a starring role.
Edenhope-Apsley’s Emily Burgess won the A-grade netball best and fairest.
Harrow-Balmoral will start favourites against Jeparit Rainbow in Saturday’s grand final after going through the home and away rounds undefeated and winning the second semi-final by 83 points a fortnight ago.
Harrow-Balmoral’s Simon Close topped the league goalkicking award this season with 80 goals.
His brother Michael plays in the backline after previously playing 27 matches for Brisbane in the AFL.
Harrow-Balmoral’s most recent flag was in 2019 and Jeparit-Rainbow is yet to win a premiership in the Horsham District league.
Its last flag was in the old Mallee league in 1997.
MININERA DISTRICT
Ararat Eagles’ Jayden Wright has completed back-to-back wins in the Lewis Medal with Tatyoon’s Anthony Rosato finishing runner-up for the second successive year.
Unlike last year when Wright romped home by 10 votes, he led by only one vote going into the last round with Rosato picking up best-on-ground against Caramut in round 15.
But when Rosato failed to poll a vote in the last round, Wright couldn’t be beat and extended his winning margin to four with three votes against Lismore-Derrinallum.
Wright, who had led by seven after 12 round and kicked five goals in the last match of the season, finished on 27 votes.
Wickliffe-Lake Bolac’s Lachlan Reilly filled third place with 19 votes.
Wright played in Ararat Eagles’ premiership winning team last season, but they have missed finals this year.
NORTH GIPPSLAND
Traralgon-Tyers United’s Liam Willaton has taken out the Burley Medal and also has the chance to become a premiership player with the club on Saturday.
TTU plays Woodside in the grand final at Heyfield.
Churchill’s Rachael Loechel won the A grade netball best and fairest.
TALLANGATTA DISTRICT
Beechworth captain Campbell Fendyk improved on his third placing in the Barton Medal last year to take out the Tallangatta District league’s top award this year, with 26 votes.
Fendyk finished four clear of Yackandandah recruit Zack Leitch, who pipped his teammate Ben McIntosh, by one.
Last year’s winner, Chiltern’s Scott Meyer, finished fourth despite missing late games due to injury.
Fendyk was a regular senior player for Wangaratta Rovers in the Ovens and Murray league before returning to Beechworth in 2018 and being a key player in its resurgence in recent seasons.
Leitch was recruited by Yackandandah from Wangaratta and stormed home in the count with three successive best-on-ground performances.
Yackandandah thrashed Beechworth in last week’s qualifying final and plays Kiewa-Sandy Creek in the second semi-final on Saturday.
Beechworth must beat reigning premier Chiltern on Sunday to stay alive in the flag race.
Kiewa-Sandy Creek’s Alissa Donaldson won the A grade netball best and fairest.
HEATHCOTE DISTRICT
Heathcote’s Liam Jacques capped off a brilliant return season by snaring the Sam Cheatley Medal.
Jacques polled 23 votes to become the club’s first winner of the coveted award in 25 years when Damian Willox was successful.
Jacques finished two votes ahead of Lockington-Bamawm United ruckman and winner of the past two seasons, Tyler Phillips.
The midfielder has returned to Heathcote following stints with Bridgewater and Golden Square.
Heathcote finished minor premiers and plays White Hills in the second semi-final on Saturday.
Colbinabbin’s Olivia McEvoy has added to two previous wins by taking out the A-grade netball best and fairest award.
WARRNAMBOOL DISTRICT
Triple Nirranda premiership player John Paulin has won the best and fairest as he turns his attention to winning another flag.
Paulin capitalised on a injury-free season to poll 30 votes and win by two from Kolora-Noorat young gun Fred Beasley.
The winner featured in Nirranda’s best players nine times during the season.
He previously played for Warrnambool in the Hampden league before making the move to Nirranda in 2015.
Nirranda is already in the grand final with a shock second-semi-final win against Merrivale.
Merrivale’s Tate Porter and Panmure’s Louis Kew finished joint third on 26 votes.
Nirranda’s Jo Couch won the A-grade netball best and fairest for the second successive year with a whopping 35 votes to win by 10.
Couch also won in 2015.
LODDON VALLEY
Pyramid Hill’s Dylan Collis has taken out the Frank Harding Medal despite playing only seven matches this season.
Collis polled 19 votes, including a best-on-ground three votes for his 50-possession plus performance in the final round, to beat Marong’s James Gadsden by one.
In total he polled three votes in six matches and picked up one vote in a match against raging premiership favourites Marong.
Collis is a fly-in, fly-out player based in Darwin.
Billy Micevski, who also played for Pyramid Hill, won the award last year with 23 votes.
OVENS AND KING
Greta’s James McClounan has followed in the footsteps of his father Colin in winning the Clyde Baker Medal.
McClounan stormed home late to win by five votes from Goorambat’s Jamie Dunne.
He didn’t take the lead in the count until round 17 and then polled three votes in the next two games against Tarrawingee and Milawa to open an unassailable lead.
Colin McClounan won his Baker Medal playing for Whorouly in 1998.
James joined Greta this season from Wangaratta after previously playing in the Ovens and King league for Milawa in 2018 when he kicked 94 goals.
Tarrawingee’s Tegan White and Bonnie Doon’s Mia Tanner tied on 33 votes in the A grade netball best and fairest.
NORTH CENTRAL
Birchip-Watchem star recruit Nick Rippon has added a North Central league Feeny Medal to his VFL JJ Liston Trophy success eight seasons ago.
Rippon, who joined his brother Marshall at Birchip-Watchem this season, tied with Sea Lake-Nandaly’s Trent Donnan on 20 votes in the medal count on Saturday night.
Rippon picked up two votes in Birchip-Watchem’s 156-point demolition of St Arnaud with full-forward Ben Edwards taking the three votes for his 15-goal haul.
Rippon won his Liston Trophy playing for North Ballarat in 2015.
Donnan joined Rippon on 20 votes when he was judged best-on-ground in Sea Lake-Nandaly’s 71-point win over Wedderburn.
Donnan previously won the league best and fairest twice in the now defunct Mallee league playing for Woomelang-Lascelles including the last season of the competition in 2015.
Woomelang-Lascelles also folded at the end of 2015 and Donnan played two seasons for Strathfieldsaye in the Bendigo league before joining Sea Lake-Nandaly in 2019.
His brothers Kane and Wade also play for Sea Lake-Nandaly.
Rippon travelled overseas last year before making his comeback with Birchip-Watchem, which is the reigning premier.
“My brother played in the premiership side last year and that was pretty much the driving factor behind me coming up here,” Rippon said.
“We’ve never played together in our whole careers and we wanted to tick that box.
“It’s probably been the most enjoyable season of my career.
“Going to a small community you meet so many amazing people.”
Sea Lake-Nandaly has gone through the season undefeated, but Birchip-Watchem lost by less than 10 points both times they met.
They will play in the second semi-final in a fortnight after league newcomer Nullwail plays Donald in the first semi-final on Saturday.
Donald pair Ryley Barrack and Ross Young finished joint third on 16 votes behind Rippon and Donnan.
Former Adelaide and Geelong player Josh Jenkins has kicked 36 goals in six appearances for Sea Lake-Nandaly including seven against Birchip-Watchem in round 11.
Meanwhile, Wy Yung’s Marcus Hottes won the East Gippsland league best and fairest, Tumbarumba’s Jimmy Waters completed back-to-back wins in the Upper Murray league and Bruthen’s Harley Kenner won his fourth Omeo District best player award.
EAST GIPPSLAND
A connection made in a punters’ club more than a decade ago is paying handsome dividends for East Gippsland club Wy Yung and its Melbourne-based recruit Marcus Hottes.
Hottes polled 24 votes to win the league best and fairest by seven from Stratford’s Lachlan Channing in the count held on Wednesday night.
First-year Wy Yung coach Rod Bills was also a member of punters’ club and made contact with the veteran onballer about playing under him soon after being appointed last year.
And once a former teammate — Dylan Wilson — also agreed to the long weekly travel commitment from Melbourne to East Gippsland to play, the deal was done.
“When (Bills) got the coaching job my name came up and he asked the question, would I be interested in playing,” Hottes said.
“I had stopped playing through Covid.
“I was keen, but hopeful I could find a good mate to come with me to make it a bit easier.
“It’s been really enjoyable to be honest.
“We weren’t too sure how things were going to pan out because obviously we don’t train (at Wy Yung) during the week.
“But the club has been really welcoming.”
Hottes and Wilson played together at Olinda-Ferny Creek for four seasons and were premiership teammates in 2017.
The following season Hottes won the league best and fairest in the old Yarra Ranges division 1 competition following a string of top 3 finishes.
Wy Yung finished the home and away season as minor premiers and play Boisdale-Briagolong in the second semi-final at Lucknow on Saturday.
Hottes works as a surveyor in Melbourne and two trips to East Gippsland in four days prevented him from attending the league best and fairest count in person.
Stratford’s Emmagyn Williams won the A grade netball best and fairest by 11 votes from Lindenow’s Alana Websdale.
UPPER MURRAY
Tumbarumba’s Jimmy Waters has completed back-to-back wins in the Upper Murray league best and fairest.
Waters polled 15 votes to win by four from Cudgewa’s Josh Bartel, with the pair on-field rivals in last Saturday’s second semi-final won in crushing style by Cudgewa.
Waters tied with Tumbarumba teammate Jacob Reed in the award last year and two weeks later captained the club to its first premiership since going back-to-back in 2012-13.
Waters and Reed played together at Ovens and Murray club Lavington before joining Tumbarumba.
Cudgewa has been the dominant team in the four-team Upper Murray league this season and will play the winner of Saturday’s preliminary final between Tumbarumba and Bullioh.
The A-grade netball best and fairest was taken out by Cudgewa’s Megan Nankervis.
OMEO DISTRICT
Bruthen coach Harley Kenner has won his fourth Omeo and District league best and fairest award on the same day he led the club to a thrilling finals victory.
The vote count was held last Saturday after Bruthen held on to beat Buchan by only two points in the first semi-final.
Kenner polled 19 votes to win by three from Alex Saunders, who finished off the season playing for Lindenow South after starting out with Swan Reach.
Last year’s winner, Omeo-Benambra’s Jai Hayward and another Lindenow South player, Jack Redman, tied for third on 14 votes.
Kenner’s previous league best and fairest wins were in the club’s premiership winning season of 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Last season Bruthen claimed the wooden spoon with no wins.
“We lost nearly every game by 200 points,” Kenner said.
“It’s been a bit of a turnaround this year.
“We got a few blokes back to the club and picked up a couple of other handy players.
“From not winning a game last year to now making finals and into a prelim it’s been a big turnaround.”
Kenner’s four league best and fairests are five short of the record nine won by Benambra and Omeo ruckman Barry Pendergast.
Kenner, who joined Bruthen following stints with Lucknow and Bairnsdale, has also won four club best and fairests with Bruthen.
This season he finished third behind Brodie Matthews and Darcy Spong.
Swan Reach’s Danielle Ryan won the A grade netball best and fairest.
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