Tara Murray
A move up the ground was the catalyst for Declan Willmore’s best and fairest winning season at the Calder Cannons this year.
The NAB League club announced its award winners earlier this month, with Willmore claiming the Robert Hyde Medal as the Cannons best player in the boys side.
Willmore finished on 81 votes, one vote ahead of Paul Pascu and Rueben Rode.
The half forward admits he didn’t start the year well, so he was shocked to have won the best and fairest award.
“It’s pretty good,” he said. “I thought I might be around the mark, but there was no way I was expecting that.
“I started the year off quite slow, before I spent a bit more time in the midfield.
“I shaped up a bit more in the back half of the season. The training in the pre-season paid off.”
For Willmore, who has been part of the Cannons system for a number of years, it was the challenge of playing a new position that saw him thrive.
He moved up the ground and played a bit on the wing, before being thrown in the middle of the ground later in the season and further develop his game.
“It was a really good experience,” Willmore said. “It was nice to change it up a bit.”
The Essendon Doutta Stars player said he models his game on undersized AFL forwards Jack Gunston and Bailey Fritsch with their ability to mark and kick goals.
Willmore’s slow start to the season meant he didn’t get an invite to Vic Metro, but he still remains determined to achieve his dream of becoming an AFL player.
He has already spoken to one AFL club about possibly being picked up in the rookie draft later this year and has started looking at plans if he doesn’t get picked up this year.
“I’ll look to put in another 12 months of hard work,” he said. “I’ve spoken to one club but nothing is certain.
“I’ll try and work my way up and have another good season through the VFL [Victorian Football League] or Cannons and see how I go.
“Ever since I remember footy has been the thing I wanted to do. Nothing else has come close to taking over being my dream.”
In other awards, Jack Brown won the Corporal Cameron Baird most courageous award, Will Hubik won the coaches award, Kade Muller won the Phil Dunk best on track award. Mahmoud Taha won the best young player award. Carlos Egain won the Neil Wood most improved award.
Meanwhile, two Cannons were among those who tested at the AFL draft and state combines. Pascu tested at the national combine, while Rye Penny was among those to test at the state combine.
Penny was a standout and topped the field in the standing vertical jump and running vertical jump, as well as the 20 metre sprint.
