Top honours for Storm contingent

Talented midfielder Alex Pearce has continued the Great Southern Storm’s strong recent history of Harry Reeves Medal recipients after he was a joint winner of the award at 2019 Great Southern Colts Carnival.

A medal awarded to the fairest and best player across the two-day carnival, Pearce joined a long list of winners from the region after he tied with Lower South West star Blake East.

Voted on by the umpires, East and Pearce couldn’t be split after their three games with the pair squaring off in Sunday’s grand final.

Pearce was the captain of the Great Southern Storm, who had the medal return home with their group in three of the past four years after Jake Becroft’s back-to-back effort in 2016 and 2017.

Before that, recent winners from the Great Southern included Riley Quilty (2014), Zane Marwick (2012) and Warrick Proudlove (2009).

Adding to his joint medal win, Pearce was one of five Storm players named in the Great Southern Twenty.

The Great Southern Twenty is picked by a group of selectors to recognise the best 20 players from all eight teams competing at the carnival.

Pearce was joined by Storm teammates Taj Williams, Kieran Gowdie, Brock Anning and Coen Jackman.

Williams was terrific in a midfield role while also pushing forward where he kicked seven goals.

Gowdie’s performance at the carnival was commanding, his aerial marking a highlight to go with a bag of five goals against Ongerup on Saturday and nine in total.

Jackman was the young forward to emerge in Storm colours, among their best few on Saturday with strong marks and physicality up forward that netted four goals but he didn’t take to the field in the grand final.

Anning saved his best for last, a brilliant effort in the grand final against Lower South West which didn’t go unnoticed as he provided constant drive off a wing with his lethal left foot.

Ongerup’s Mitch O’Neill was rewarded for his outstanding couple of days, the hardworking midfielder the sole representative from his side.

Winning outfit the Lower South West had the most players named with six while their star midfielder Jaxon East won the Clem Bray trophy as best on ground in the grand final.