Benalla big man Mark Marriott claimed a sensational second place in the Morrison Medal on Monday night.
Benalla ruckman Mark Marriott has further enhanced his reputation as one of the best footballers in the Goulburn Valley League after flying home to finish second in the Morrison Medal vote count on Monday, September 14.
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Held at Tatura’s Ballantyne Centre, the GVL’s presentation night saw awards handed out across all grades, with the Morrison Medal – awarded to the fairest and best senior footballer – and it’s A-grade netball equivalent, the Wellman Family Medal, the two most prestigious accolades on offer.
Having produced another fine season for the Saints, which saw him feature in the best players 14 times from 18 games, as well as earning a representative guernsey in the GVL’s interleague clash against the VAFA, Marriott was expected to poll well, having been shortlisted as a top 10 finisher before the event.
By round 15, the Benalla big man had put himself right in contention to claim the ultimate prize, having polled 17 votes in his first 15 games to sit four back from a fellow ruckman in Shepparton’s Ashley Holland, with a further two votes back to third-placed Angus Hicks (Shepparton United) and Zac Norris (Kyabram) on 15.
Over the final three rounds, the super Saint did his best to reel in Holland, polling five votes across the last three games of the season to cut the deficit in half, although he ultimately ran out of road, as Holland also received a further three votes to emerge the winner on 24, two ahead of Marriott on 22.
Shepparton’s Ashley Holland claimed the Morrison Medal ahead of Marriott, with the pair confirming they are far and away the best ruckmen in the league.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Hicks rounded out the podium places in third on 20 votes.
It is a brilliant individual honour for Marriott, which again reinforces the widely held opinion that he is among the elite Goulburn Valley performers, and a feat that is made all the more remarkable by the fact that Holland’s Shepparton won 17 games as opposed to the Saints’ four, with umpires generally favouring players in winning sides when allocating votes.
Marriott wasn’t the only Saint to feature prominently on the leaderboards, though, with Samantha Bochtler polling 18 votes to finish sixth in the Gaye Eaton Medal B-reserve netball vote count, which was won by Rochester’s Sahra Brooks on 25 votes.
Both Kate and Jodi Symes also polled well in the Gaye Eaton Medal, earning 15 and 10 votes, respectively.
A pair of young Saints were also recognised for their efforts at the senior level this season, too, with Heidi O’Hallaran and Owain Boyle both named as finalists in the GVL Future Star and Rising Star award, respectively, while senior football coach Nick Pearson was recognised as the Interleague senior football coach.
Across the league, the other major award winners were Mansfield’s Alexandra Ball, who took out the Wellman Family Medal, and Euroa’s Kelly Hill, who won the B-grade netball Sandra Cox Medal.
Echuca’s Kobyn James took out the reserves’ football Abikhair Medal, while fellow Murray Bomber Darby Jones won the Rising Star award and Mooroopna’s Layla Ratcliffe took out the Future Star gong.
Awards concerning the under-15s and 17s netball and under-18s football will be announced at the new separate Junior Awards Day, with Saint Xavier Wapling in the running for the Pattison Medal as under-18 football best-and-fairest.
The Junior Awards Day will be held on the afternoon of October 3 at the Museum of Vehicle Evolution in Shepparton.
