Bruno Laguda was named Calder Cannons’ Robert Hyde medallist on Friday night.
Laguda won the TAC Cup club’s best and fairest award, narrowly squeezing out his fellow Essendon Doutta Stars teammate, Tom Wallis.
Laguda hit the front in the first half of the count and finished on 96 votes, three ahead of the fast-finishing Wallis.
Cannons coach Andrew Johnston said Laguda was a deserving winner.
“Bruno played most of the year with us and I think he started to tire a little towards the end,” he said.
“Tom had a sensational second half of the year after starting slower than he would have liked.”
Wallis was also named the Cannons’ most improved player.
The son of two-time Essendon premiership defender Dean Wallis, Wallis is hoping to join Essendon’s AFL list next season under the father-son rule.
“I rode him pretty hard,” Johnston said.
“I thought he had the talent but his attitude had a long way to go.
“He worked hard and got the results and, hopefully, he is rewarded by Essendon by getting on its list.”
He said Laguda had “snuck under the radar” and he hoped an AFL club would take a chance on him in next month’s national draft in Adelaide.
Laguda and Wallis were clear leaders in the vote count, with last year’s Robert Hyde medallist, Nick O’Kearney, finishing third on 64 votes.
“Nick was really been pulled from pillar to post this year,” Johnston said.
“He was in the AIS squad and the Vic Metro, so he didn’t play that much for us.
“It was a consolidation year for him and his use and accumulation of the ball is sensational.
“He showed what he can do as a 17-year-old. If he’d played more games for us he’d have been closer.”
Defender Matthew Stillman won the coaches’ award.
Stillman was one of several players to lead the side during the season and was given the honour of being named captain for the finals series.
Johnston said Stillman’s ability to get the most out of his skills was what impressed him most.
“At this age they are still very quiet and you need someone to stand up,” he said.
“He isn’t the most talented guy but he got everything out of himself and the guys around him. He worked hard and led by example.”
Sunbury Lions’ Mitch Conn was named the Cannons’ most courageous player.
Attention for the Cannons now turns to the AFL national draft.
Johnston said O’Kearney, Hisham Kerbatieh, Wallis and Callum Moore were the four players attracting most interest.
Moore and O’Kearney were among the standouts for the Cannons at the national combine testing.
