Parrot Marriott flies high in 2022

By Andrew Paloczi

LEONGATHA’S star onballer and skipper Tom Marriott deservedly claimed a swag of honours in season 2022, capped off by being named the Herald Sun’s best country footballer in Victoria and featuring in the Weekly Times Team of the Year.

He won his second League Best and Fairest, earning him the Trood Award and Rodda Medal, was best on ground in Leongatha’s premiership side and led the Parrots to an undefeated season.

Unsurprisingly, Marriott is also a crucial component of the Gippsland League’s Team of the Year.

“He’s an absolute star and it starts with how hard he works off the field,” Leongatha coach Trent McMicking said.

Beyond his massive contribution as a player, Marriott inspires his teammates with his leadership and his unwavering commitment to training and preparation.

“The standards he has brings everyone else along,” McMicking said.

As a player, Marriott has stood out in 2022 despite the large number of high-quality footballers in the competition.

“The league is littered with very good VFL players and good AFL players and he’s better than all of those for this year,” McMicking said.

He said Marriott is a terrific player to coach and just requires guidelines and goes from there.

Marriott’s input assists McMicking in his coaching.

“He likes honest feedback and gives honest feedback to anyone who needs it, which is part of being a leader,” the coach said.

Aptly, given Leongatha’s memorable season, McMicking was named as coach of the Gippsland League and Weekly Times teams of the year.

McMicking praised Marriott’s loyalty to the Parrots, saying he has resisted the opportunity to play elsewhere despite the fact he would command impressive pay.

Marriott remains down to earth despite all the fuss being made about him and the success he has achieved.

“He’s honest, reliable, everything you’d want in a person,” McMicking said of the inspirational Parrots skipper.