GSFL 2023: Historic moment as wingman Robbie Lee becomes first Shark to win Kleemann Medal in thrilling count

Brilliant Albany wingman Robbie Lee has won his first Kleemann Medal, prevailing in a thrilling count at Retravision Stadium on Monday night. Lee created history as he became the Sharks first winner of the Great Southern Football League’s highest individual honour. The talented left-footer polled 14 votes to hold out Railways pair Bodhi Stubber and Jayden Scott by a single vote. Scott was the early leader of the count, the tough Tigers midfielder collecting nine votes in the first five rounds of the season. The Sharks’ Brett Peake and Mt Barker star Daniel Patching were also prominent early with six votes. Patching’s dominant form with the Bulls was rewarded and he leapt to the lead by the end of round 10 — his 10 votes pushing him one clear of Scott while there was a host of players with eight including Lee and Tigers ball winner Beau Ewen. Scott moved back to the outright lead in the final five rounds but Lee finished strongly and despite not polling in the last round of the season, he had done enough to stitch up his medal win. Lee was a humble winner and said he didn’t expect to poll that well in his acceptance speech. Ewen and Peake polled well to round out the top five with 11 vote while Patching, Royals duo Joel Flick and Stephen Beal and 2022 winner Zach Jackson all finished on the leaderboard with 10 votes. Earlier in the night Scott was announced as the Albany Advertiser Footballer of the Year, winning by six votes from the Sharks’ Isaac Baum. Tigers midfielder Logan Stubber was announced the winner of the GSFL Coaches Player of the Year, edging out Scott by six votes.