GSFL 2024: Awards aplenty at the 68th Kleemann Medal count as the league gathers to celebrate footy stars

Great Southern Football League players, coaches and representatives gathered at Retravision Stadium on Monday night to honour the competition’s highest individual achievers at the 68th Kleemann Medal count. Railways midfielder Ryley Valli was the star of the show taking home all three major awards after an incredible season in the yellow-and-black. Valli won the GSFL’s highest honour the Kleemann Medal in a landslide victory with 25 votes, while also taking out the GSFL Coaches Player of the Year and the Albany Advertiser Footballer of the Year awards. North Albany coach Brad Bootsma presented the gun Tiger with the coaches gong after he polled a league-high 85 votes, while Royals ball winner Declan McNamara finished second with 71 votes. Sharks duo Isaac Baum (57 votes) and Kane Pinney (55) were third and fourth and Mt Barker’s Daniel Patching rounded out the top five with 54 votes. Each league coach voted 5-4-3-2-1 for players on both sides at the end of every game. Valli clinched the Advertiser’s award with 26 votes, 13 ahead of second-placed Bailey Taylor while Lions rebounding half-back Brayden Parker rounded out the top three with 12 votes. Brilliant Sharks forward and former Fremantle and St Kilda player Brett Peake won his third Sean Plaisted trophy after kicking a league-high 63 goals. The GSFL Team of the Year was also announced as picked by the Advertiser team, with Valli, Taylor, McNamara, Baum and Pinney headlining a star-studded 22-man squad. Denmark-Walpole’s Bradley Pope (12 votes) completed a rare feat, winning the Charlie Punch Medal for the second year in a row as the reserves fairest and best. Pope collected the second-most votes in the count after his teammate Jaden Guidi (15) was ineligible due to suspension. Terry Eaton and Joe Burton were officially inducted as GSFL life members after their unwavering support and commitment to football within the region. Tiger’s co-captain Jayden Scott won the inaugural Jono Woods Memorial Trophy after being named the Great Southern’s best and fairest at their triumphant Nutrien Ag Solutions Country Football Championships, with Woods’ son Henry presenting the award. Taylor and colts players Teague Valli, Ryan Lazar, Mitchell Paine and Harvey Taylor were all presented with their country championships All-Star jumpers by Great Southern league and colts coaches Glynn Verbruggen and Darrell Panizza. After a stellar year behind the whistle, emerging umpire Davey Wignall won the Peter Watson Umpire of the Year award and Dylan Lock was named Community Umpire of the Year. Mt Barker stalwart Matt Gilbert was acknowledged for his efforts to football in the Great Southern and recognised as the region’s volunteer of the year.