LIAM DURKIN
FOOTBALL/NETBALL
GIPPSLAND LEAGUE
By LIAM DURKIN
IT’S not called Marriott’s Medal for nothing.
Leongatha superstar Tom Marriott took out the Trood Award and Rodda Medal for the Gippsland League senior best and fairest.
The win put Marriott in esteemed company as a multiple Trood Award and Rodda Medalist, going with his 2018 triumph.
Marriott won with 27 votes, two clear of Morwell young gun Tristen Waack.
A three-vote game in the Parrots last game of the regular season gave Marriott the win.
Others to poll well were Sale’s Jack Leslie (22 votes), Wonthaggi captain Aiden Lindsay (19), and Sale’s Shannen Lange (17).
Lange still took home an award, taking out the Gippsland League MVP, (voted on by coaches after every game) for the second consecutive year.
There was also cause for Morwell officials to borrow from The Simpsons and sing ‘Oh Whacking Day’ after Waack was named the league’s Rookie of the Year.
As well as Waack, the Tigers had a few players on stage at league presentation.
Shannon Freeman won both the A Grade league best and fairest and MVP.
The defender chalked up 33 votes in the league count and 32 in the MVP.
Morwell’s Mason Porykali also won the reserves league best and fairest.
It was a return to normal service for the reserves vote count, as a ruckman again took out the award.
While it is said the Brownlow Medal has become a midfielder’s award, one could argue the Gippsland League reserves best and fairest has become a ruckman’s award. Recent winners have been James Heslop (Moe, 2018), Chris Rump (Leongatha, 2017), Macklin Raine (Maffra, 2015) and Will Joplin (Wonthaggi, 2013) – all ruckmen.
The Gippsland League again had its vote count via a live stream, doing away with the need for tiresome vote counts and forcing clubs as far as Bairnsdale and Wonthaggi to travel to a function centre in the Latrobe Valley.
With the winners known before the official presentation last Wednesday (September 14) the Gippsland League was able to hold an efficient presentation night at the Italian Australian Club, Morwell.
The Gippsland League senior best and fairest is named after former Sale player Victor Trood and Morwell’s Fred Rodda.
Trood played 41 games for University in the VFL, and donated an award to the league in 1928 and continued to do so for many years.
He went on to become the inaugural president of the Latrobe Valley Football League (Gippsland League) in 1954, and was inducted as a life member in 1959.
Rodda tragically died from internal injuries in 1935, leading the then Central Gippsland Football League to rename its best and fairest award the Rodda Medal the following season.
After the CGFL disbanded and the remaining clubs joined the LVFL, the names Trood and Rodda were enshrined onto the one award.
TROOD AWARD AND RODDA MEDAL
MULTIPLE WINNERS
THREE:
John Gallus – Bairnsdale/Maffra/Warragul (1969,
1970, 1975),
Greg Morley – Traralgon (1992, 1998, 2003).
TWO:
Bob Mason – Sale (1954, 1955)
Steve Szabo – Morwell (1960, 1965)
Barry Rowlings – Moe (1973, 1974)
Peter Hall – Traralgon (1977, 1984)
David Vogel – Morwell (1978, 1982)
Jeff Gieschen – Maffra (1979, 1982)
Ray Milldenhall – YYN (1981, 1983)
Jim Silvestro – Traralgon (1986, 1987)
Hayden Burgiel – Maffra (2001, 2004)
Gary Jones – Maffra (2002, 2010)
Andrew Soumilas – Garfield/Drouin (2005, 2011)
Nick Hider – Maffra (2007, 2008)
Tom Marriott – Leongatha (2018, 2022)
MID GIPPSLAND FOOTBALL-NETBALL LEAGUE
BEST AND FAIREST
FOOTBALL
Seniors: Ricky Cochrane (Boolarra) and
Tom Cameron (Fish Creek)
Reserves: Josh Griffin (Toora)
Thirds: Nick Cummaudo (Mirboo North)
NETBALL
A Grade: Kelsey Angwin (Toora)
B Grade: Carla Jenkins (Toora)
C Grade: Kate Torney (Morwell East)
D Grade: Kathryn Smith (Mirboo North)
17 and Under: Kirra Jones (MDU)
15 and Under: Mia Cheffers (Yinnar)
13 and Under: Aleeah Munnich (Boolarra)
NORTH GIPPSLAND FOOTBALL-NETBALL LEAGUE
BEST AND FAIREST
FOOTBALL
Seniors: Boadie Motton (Yarram)
Reserves: Michael O’Sullivan (Woodside)
Thirds: Lincon Sketcher (Woodside)
NETBALL
A Grade: Simone Turner (Sale City)
B Grade: Tess Hansford (Sale City)
C Grade: Leah Leeson (Rosedale)
D Grade: Simone Brighton (Churchill)
17 and Under: Lily Kerrison-Mae (Yarram)
15 and Under: Chloe Scott (Sale City)
