Orzel caps off flag triumph with second Sutton Medal

Prolific midfielder and four-time premiership player Matt Orzel has won his second Sutton Medal as North Albany’s league fairest and best player, defeating recruit Michael Trevenen by 19 votes at the premiers’ awards night last Thursday.

Orzel, who finished second in this year’s Kleemann Medal, won the Kangas’ highest individual award in 2015 and has again claimed the honour with 121 to edge out Trevenen (102 votes) while Jack McPhee (98) finished third.

McPhee was named most valuable player, Alex Pearce won the Cameron Family best first year player, the Liddard-Guy Memorial award for best team man was Nic Barrow and Lachy O’Shea received the coaches award.

Minor grade fairest and best winners were Kohen Lemin (reserves), Jordan Pinner (colts) and Lachlan Hansen (sixteens).

Railways held their presentation night last Friday with Zane Marwick claiming a fourth league fairest and best award in an enthralling count.

Marwick started brilliantly and held onto a big lead as he finished with 159 votes to defeat forward Kenton Gibbs (131) and Mitch Green (118), while Kleemann medallist Joel Want finished back in fourth on 116.

Tom Wolfe was named the best under-21 player, player-coach Craig Frost was best player in the finals, Green was most consistent, Want took home best team man and Dylan Schorer won the coaches award. Shane Braimbridge won the prestigious George Stephens for outstanding service to the club.

After helping his team win a reserves premiership, Daniel Rajecki won that fairest and best and in the other grades Joe Alvin (colts) and Toby Hall (sixteens) were winners.

On Saturday night Mt Barker held their season awards with young gun Joel Gray capping a sensational year with his first Bulls fairest and best honour.

Gray finished third in the Kleemann count but polled 175 votes in the Bulls top award to win from veterans Sam Lehmann (133) and Peter Taylor (125).

Daniel Henderson (105) and Nic Chidgzey (70) filled the top five while Ryan Ballard won best team man, Henderson was most consistent, Michael Wright received the coaches award and Dionne Woods was player of the finals.

In the minor grades Justin Parsons (reserves), Nitan Benavides (colts) and Heath Brown (sixteens) were fairest and best winners.

Emerging Royals midfielder Cent Amores took home the Lions league fairest and best award for the first time on Friday night, in a close vote count.

Amores was ultra-consistent in a breakthrough season at league level to poll 89 votes and shade Henry Hodge (72), while Corey Ward (65), Brayden Parker (53) and Ryan Kinnear (44) filled the top five.

Rookie of the year was Poch Amores and best clubman was Casey Ganzer.

In the Lions minor grades Dane Paunich won the sixteens fairest and best in a premiership year while Mathew Laudehr (reserves) and Nic Finlay (colts) also won the major awards.

Denmark-Walpole had a surprise winner of their league fairest and best award with defender Ethan Burton prevailing over midfielder Jaden Guidi.

Jed Finigan (reserves), Cody Kerr (colts) and Flynn Burton and Noah Madaffari (sixteens) were the Magpies other winners.

Albany held their season awards on Saturday night which also ran in conjunction with their club’s 10-year anniversary celebrations.

More than 150 people attended the evening, with young Sharks midfielder Bryce Blaszkow winning his first league fairest and best award.

Blaszkow polled 108 votes to prevail over dominant ruckman Stewart Davies (77) with Tait McLean (62) and Marcus Mellon (42) next.

McLean was named best backman while Zac Pearson won best forward and Dylan Gowdie received the coaches award.

Brock Anning (colts), Mitchell Jackson (reserves) and Max Baker (sixteens) were the minor grades fairest and best winners.

President Geoff Oldfield, inaugural league coach Joe Galantino and Brett Turpin spoke about the club’s 10-year history with Turpin later bestowed as the club’s inaugural life member.