West Preston Lakeside’s Matt Harman claimed the Northern Football League’s top honour, the Frank Rosbrook Medal, but it wasn’t without drama.
The ruckman polled maximum votes six times to finish with 19 votes, one clear of Heidelberg’s Lachlan Wilson.
Harman though didn’t poll the most votes, that honour went to Montmorency’s Liam Wale-Buxton, who polled 25 votes.
Wale-Buxton led throughout a lot of the count, but he was suspended in the final round of the season, ruling him ineligible.
Harman said it was a fair bit of a shock to win the award. He said he just tries to run the other ruckman around and make the most of his running ability.
Harman was quick to praise those at West Preston Lakeside, saying it was a family club. He also paid tribute to those who made sacrifices each week to allow them to play football.
Sam Lloyd led Bundoora’s votes with 13, Xavier Dimasi was Whittlsea’s leading poll getter with seven votes.
North Heidelberg’s Jesse Tardio and Heidelberg’s Matt Smith shared the coaches most valuable player award.
In division 2, Lower Plenty’s Darcy Barden claimed a second best and fairest medal in that division.
Eleven years after his first win, he polled 21 votes, finishing two clear of Banyule’s Jack Langford.
Banyule’s Riley Loton won the coaches most valuable player award.
In division 3, Kilmore’s Chris Ryall continued a remarkable run of form, winning the best and fairest award for a second successive season.
He finished on 22 votes, two clear of Laurimar’s Luke Wilson, with Kilmore’s Chris Barton and Mernda’s Ryan Bongetti finishing a distant third.
Ryall also won the coaches most valuable player award.
Other winners included Laurimar’s Michael Brennan and Mernda’s Ethan Wild who shared the division 3 reserves best and fairest with Kilmore’s Alexander Vasilevski.
Mernda’s Matthew Bawden won the division 3 under-19 award.
