Country legend Kristan Height wins third league best-and-fairest award

SANDHURST’S Kristan Height has further established his claim as one of Victoria’s best footballers after taking home the Bendigo league’s best-and-fairest last night.

SANDHURST’S Kristan Height has further established his claim as one of the state’s best footballers after taking home the Bendigo league’s best-and-fairest last night.

The Michelsen Medal is Height’s third league best-and-fairest award after the midfielder won the Oven and Murray’s Morris Medal in 2014 while with Myrtleford and the Goulburn Valley’s Morrison Medal in 2010 while with Echuca.

He is the first player in history to win all three medals.

“The goal at the start of the year was to play some consistent football for the club,” Height said.

“Coming to Sandhurst, I just wanted to be part of the team, to play my role and help the club towards that ultimate prize … anything else on top of that was going to be a bonus.”

A best-on-ground performance against Kyneton in the last home-and-away round saw Height edge out Strathfieldsaye’s Kallen Geary to win the medal by a single vote.

“A few of the boys on the table told me Kallen hadn’t played the last game, so going into the last round two votes down, I was hoping I’d get the two votes so we could share the award,” Height said.

The 33-year-old hoped to turn individual success into team success as Sandhurst vies for the Bendigo league premiership this Saturday against Golden Square.

Sandhurst has played in the past two Bendigo league grand finals, only to fall short on both occasions to Strathfieldsaye.

“You don’t play footy just for the individual recognition, the premiership is what we are really after,” Height said.

“I counted the other day; I’ve lost seven preliminary finals since I won a premiership as an 18-year-old at Echuca.

“Early in the piece I probably didn’t acknowledge how much of a feat it was, to win a flag. Now it would mean everything.”