Shepparton’s Ash Holland claimed a second Morrison Medal in three years on Monday night at the GVL’s best-and-fairest, placing the Bears ruckman in rare air.
Five of the 10 shortlisted Morrison Medal candidates were ruckmen, but it was fitting the best team across the home and away season was home to the league’s best ruck, let alone best player, although Holland wasn’t so sure of his chances.
“I didn’t really expect to win, no,” Holland said.
“There’s plenty of good players on that list of top 10.”
By claiming a second league best-and-fairest Holland has entered rare air, the most recent of nine previous to do so being Echuca’s Simon Buckley in 2016 and 2017.
Holland stated it will take time for the significance of the accolade to register, with his focus sharply on a potential second flag with the Bears in Sunday’s grand final against the Murray Bombers.
“It probably will take a bit to sink in,” he said.
“It’s definitely special to get these individual accolades but the grand finals and premierships, that’s what you really play for, but it is good to get a little bit of individual success.”
While evidently a consistent performer through the home and away season, Holland is no stranger to standing up in finals either, having won the best-on-ground medal in the 2018 flag triumph.
Now much older, as he admits, Holland said his recovery routine is the key to keeping his body ready for influential moments in cut-throat September matches.
“I just put a lot of work into getting prepared, putting the hard yards through pre-season to get your body ready to go and then the recovery and the importance of that stuff,” he said.
“Things like ice baths, cold plungers, a bit of massage, it all helps keep a standard before the build up to a game.”
Holland will look to add extra silverware to his mantle when Shepparton take on Echuca in the GVL senior football grand final at Deakin Reserve on Sunday at 2.30pm.
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