We look at the top five placegetters in each NAB League Boys club’s best-and-fairest count following the 2019 season.

 

 

BENDIGO PIONEERS

Winner: JAMES SCHISCHKA

Runner-up: WILL WALLACE

Third: JEREMY RODI

Fourth: JOSH TREACY

Fifth: RILEY WILSON

Schischka claimed the Neville Strauch Medal after leading Bendigo for total disposals and marks, the Pioneers captain averaging 17 touches, 4.5 marks and three rebound-50s per game across all 16 matches as a reliable 190cm defender. Two fellow top-agers – backman Wallace and midfielder Rodi – filled the podium positions, while bottom-age tall Treacy showed promising signs for the 2020 season in placing fourth.

 
 
 
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Photos from the 2019 Neville Strauch Medal & Awards night

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CALDER CANNONS

Joint-winners: NED GENTILE (pictured, centre) / SAM RAMSAY

Third: DANIEL MOTT

Fourth: BRODIE NEWMAN

Fifth: HARRISON MINTON-CONNELL

The Robert Hyde Medal was shared for the first time in Calder’s history, with top-agers Gentile and Ramsay finishing ahead of 2019 NAB AFL Draft prospect Mott and Cannons captain Newman. Gentile averaged 19 disposals and four inside-50s per game as well as kicking 15 goals across all 18 matches as a 175cm playmaker, while 180cm midfielder Ramsay averaged 25 touches, 4.5 marks and four tackles per game in 16 outings.

 

 

DANDENONG STINGRAYS

Winner: HAYDEN YOUNG

Runner-up: JACK TONER

Third: NED CAHILL

Fourth: CLAYTON GAY

Fifth: LUCA GOONAN

Young’s Justin Leppitsch Medal triumph reinforced his credentials as a likely high AFL Draft selection this year, the Stingrays skipper and 188cm defender also moving into the midfield at times and averaging 22 disposals, four rebound-50s and three inside-50s per game in 12 matches. The Vic Country representative finished ahead of Dandenong’s leading ball-winner in Toner and fellow 2019 draft prospect Cahill.

 

 

EASTERN RANGES

Winner: LACHLAN STAPLETON

Runner-up: MITCH MELLIS

Third: JAMES ROSS

Fourth: ZAKERY PRETTY

Fifth: WIL PARKER

Eastern’s Pennington Medal was claimed by tough 177cm midfielder Stapleton, who averaged 22 disposals and team-highs of seven tackles and four inside-50s per game in 13 matches for the beaten grand-finalist. Fellow top-age Vic Metro representatives Mellis and Ross – also the 2019 Ranges captain – filled spots on the podium, with the competition leader for total disposals in Pretty placing fourth.

 

 

GEELONG FALCONS

Winner: JESSE CLARK

Runner-up: KEIDAN RAYNER

Third: CHAS KARPALA

Fourth: CAMERON FLEETON

Equal-fifth: SAM BOURKE / CHARLIE SPRAGUE

Falcons co-captain Clark took home the Norris Harding Award following a season in which he also represented Vic Country. The 188cm defender averaged 20 disposals, four marks and a team-high 5.5 rebound-50s per game in 11 matches to finish ahead of fellow top-agers Rayner – who led Geelong for total disposals – and Karpala as well as bottom-age rebounding backman Fleeton.

 

 

GIPPSLAND POWER

Winner: SAM FLANDERS (pictured, left)

Runner-up: RYAN SPARKES

Third: TYE HOURIGAN

Fourth: FRASER PHILLIPS

Fifth: HARRISON PEPPER

Vic Country star Flanders further pressed his claims to be a high 2019 AFL Draft pick by winning the Power’s best-and-fairest award. The 182cm midfielder/forward averaged 22 disposals, 4.5 tackles and 4.5 inside-50s per game as well as kicking 13 goals in 12 NAB League matches for the preliminary-finalists to lead home fellow national representatives Sparkes, Phillips and Pepper in the count.

 

 

GWV REBELS

Winner: JAY RANTALL

Runner-up: COOPER CRAIG-PETERS

Third: MITCH MARTIN

Fourth: JOSH DWYER

Fifth: JACK TILLIG

A former national representative in basketball, Rantall claimed GWV’s Adam Goodes Trophy after averaging a team-high 25 disposals and 6.5 tackles per game as well as kicking 11 goals in 12 matches as a 184cm midfielder. The Vic Country representative finished ahead of fellow tough top-ager Craig-Peters, with Rebels joint-leading goalkicker Martin and promising bottom-ager Tillig also high on the leaderboard.

 

 

MURRAY BUSHRANGERS

Joint-winners: JAMES BOYER / JYE CHALCRAFT (pictured, right)

Equal-third: LACHLAN ASH / BEN KELLY / CAMERON WILD

In the second-ever tie for Murray’s John Byrne Medal, Boyer and Chalcraft finished ahead of Vic Country representatives Ash and Wild as well as Allies player Kelly. 181cm playmaker Boyer averaged 20 disposals per game and kicked 14 goals across all 16 matches for the Bushrangers, while tough 176cm on-baller Chalcraft also appeared in every outing and averaged 22 touches and four tackles per game.

 

 

NORTHERN KNIGHTS

Winner: SAM PHILP

Runner-up: JOSH D’INTINOSANTE

Third: JACKSON DAVIES

Fourth: RYAN STURGESS

Fifth: ADAM CARAFA

Philp took home the Brent Harvey Best & Fairest after a stellar season that saw him emerge as a 2019 AFL Draft prospect. The tough and quick 185cm midfielder led Northern for total disposals and tackles, averaging 19 touches and four tackles per game in 16 matches. Knights leading goalkicker D’Intinosante narrowly missed out on a second straight club champion award and 2019 skipper Davies placed third.

 

 

OAKLEIGH CHARGERS

Winner: MATTHEW ROWELL

Runner-up: LOCHLAN JENKINS

Third: NOAH ANDERSON

Fourth: TRENT BIANCO

Fifth: WILL PHILLIPS

A star-studded James Honey Medal leaderboard contained the probable top two picks at the 2019 AFL Draft in Rowell and Anderson as well as highly-rated Oakleigh premiership captain Bianco. Hard-nosed 178cm midfielder Rowell remarkably won the award from playing only seven NAB League matches, averaging team-highs of 32 disposals, 8.5 tackles and 4.5 inside-50s per game to lead home bottom-age ball-winner Jenkins.

 

 

SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS

Winner: RYAN BYRNES

Runner-up: ANGUS HANRAHAN

Third: FINN MAGINNESS

Fourth: MILES BERGMAN

Fifth: JACKSON VOSS

Sandringham captain Byrnes led the Dragons for total disposals and the competition for total inside-50s, averaging 26 touches and 5.5 inside-50s per game in 15 matches for the preliminary-finalists. The 181cm on-baller topped the club’s best-and-fairest count ahead of Hanrahan – who led the competition for total marks – and two of Byrnes’ fellow Vic Metro representatives in Maginness and Bergman.

 

 

TASMANIA DEVILS

Winner: OLIVER DAVIS

Runner-up: JACKSON CALLOW

Third: MATT McGUINNESS

Fourth: RHYAN MANSELL

Fifth: OLIVER BURROWS-CHENG

Bottom-agers led the way in Tasmania’s best-and-fairest count, with Davis and Callow beating home over-age pair McGuinness – the competition leader for total rebound-50s – and Mansell. Devils co-captain Davis led the team for total tackles and inside-50s, averaging 22 disposals, eight tackles and five inside-50s per game in 13 matches as a 181cm midfielder to hold off club leading goalkicker Callow.

 

 

WESTERN JETS

Winner: WILL KENNEDY

Joint-runners-up: JONAH HORO / ARCHI MANTON

Fourth: DALY ANDREWS

Fifth: LUCAS ROCCI

Kennedy’s standout season as a 198cm over-age ruck earned him Western’s Barry Round Medal, with the competition’s leading hitout-winner averaging 17 disposals, 34 hitouts and four tackles per game in 17 matches. NAB League goalkicking leader Manton finished equal-second, while top Jets disposal-getter Andrews and 2019 Morrish Medal-winning rebounding defender Rocci were also close behind.