West Gippsland crowns its best

The West Gippsland Football Netball Competition (WGFNC) held capped off their first completed season since 2019 tonight, crowning 2022’s best and fairest players in each grade, congratulations to all.

After almost two hours the senior vote count finally kicked off and it was Brent Macaffer of Tooradin-Dalmore leading after 13 rounds with 20 votes with Cameron Pedersen of Phillip Island, Eamon Trigg of Nar Nar Goon and Oscar Toussaint of Inverloch-Kongwak just behind with 15.

As many predicted, it was the clash of the titans in the final stretch as former AFL stars Pedersen and Macaffer went head-to-head for the crown Pedersen has won two years running.

Ultimately it was the Seagulls’ superstar recruit claiming the WGFNC best and fairest award with 25 votes, just etching out Kilcunda-Bass ruckman Dale Gawley who made a huge late season charge with 22 votes and Pedersen on 20 votes.

The much-awaited A grade leader board had Ally Johnson of Bunyip with on top with 21 votes at the 14-round mark, closely followed by Renee Pilkington of IK on 19.

It then went down to the wire Pilkington had taken the lead by a single vote with two rounds left and a best on court performance against Warragul in round 17 saw her lead increase to two with as Johnson could only manage two votes.

It came down to the final round and another two-vote game to Johnson just wasn’t enough as Pilkington’s one vote against Nar Nar Goon sealed her second WGFNC best and fairest, after winning it in 2019.

In the other football counts, plenty of different players got themselves on the board.

In the reserves football count, it was Jarrod Hamling of Nar Nar Goon leading Jordan Tomas of IK and Luke Foreman of Cora Lynn with four rounds to go.

But in the end it was Foreman coming away with the win after a strong back half of the season, with 26 votes outdoing Hamling and Tomas who held on to finish second and third.

The Under 18s proved to be another interesting count with Ben Sellings of Tooradin-Dalmore pulling away with a 23 vote victory over Oliver Sail of Cora Lynn.

In the fourths division, it was another tight count, with Alixsander Tauru of Warragul and Max Donohue of Korumburra-Bena each on 14 votes at round 14.

It was eventually Donohue who broke away the winner with 24 votes, after a stunning season through the midfield for the Giants who have come from nowhere this finals series, someone the Sea Eagles will have to stop this weekend.  

The other netball vote counts also produced some close finishes.

The B grade count had Taylor Beck of Nar Nar Goon leading after 13 rounds with 22 votes, with Emma Felsovary of on 17, Beck eventually won with 28 votes, edging out Felsovary on 25.

At round 14 in the C grade count it was IK duo Liza Burrows and Sam Hume leading with 17 and Hume and Steph Krainer of Phillip Island tying for the medal with 28 votes apiece.

The D grade netball count saw some high voters at the 14-round mark, Sindy Boyd took it out with 30 votes, overrunning Emma Main of Dalyston with 28.

Under 17s was a tough tight count with a number of girls polling well, Lainey Downie was out in front and with only four votes separated the top five going into the final round, it ended in a three-way tie!

Lainey Downie of Bunyip, Felicity Fox of Korumburra-Bena and Chantelle Stokkel Koo Wee Rup were each awarded best and fairest with 24 votes!

Under 15s netball was a tight count with Giant Mackenna Whiteside fighting it out with Bulldog Maya Huther.

With just one vote in it going into round 18, where the Bulldogs and Giants played off.

Neither polled a vote, handing the award to Huther who maintained her one vote lead, winning it with 27.

In the under 13s netball it was Nar Nar Goon’s Tiahli Dedigama pulling away from Phillip Island’s Aisha Hibbert and Tooradin-Dalmore’s Lilly Csinsci with a remarkable 45 vote victory.

In the under 11s netball division, it was Ciara Santorini of Phillip Island claiming the best and fairest honours with 24 votes, storming home to top Ashlee Spark of IK in second and Kealey Trewavis of Kilcunda-Bass in third.

The winners will receive their medallions next Monday night at the league’s presentation night, along with the various other awards.