DUAL winners were announced at this year’s Ross Elliott Awards night with Halls Head’s Tim Bruce and Pinjarra’s Tom Harper named the Peel Football League’s best.
Harper joins Rowan Arnott as just the second player in the history of the Peel Football League to win the medal for a second time after the talented ruckman won the award at South Mandurah in 2012.
In a very even season with the top four teams all genuine premiership chances the vote count was just as close.
With three rounds remaining Bruce and Harper were tied for the lead on 16 votes with Waroona’s Ben Wright one vote behind narrowly ahead of a number of challengers.
However, Bruce, Harper and Wright failed to poll a vote in the final rounds as a number of players edged closer.
In a nail biting last round Bruce and Harper were able to hold on and win with one of the lowest winning amount of votes in the awards history.
A trio of Waroona players were pipped for the award with Wright, Courtney Lakay and Jayden Caratti all finishing on 15 votes to win the runner up award.
Halls Head’s Brody Culpitt and South Mandurah’s Aaron Zucconi finished on 14 votes.
Culpitt was the early leader after jumping to 10 votes after the first five games.
The Murray Cowper Medal for the Reserves best and fairest went to Baldivis’ Chris Smogavec with Halls Head’s Wade Hall the runner up.
The Dudley Tuckey Medal for the Colts best and fairest went to Baldivis’ Chean Noronha, 12 votes ahead of runner ups Michael Beeton from Halls Head and Damien Young from Waroona who finished on 18 votes.
Club Champion of the year went to the Waroona Football Club after all three of their grades made finals.
Former Fremantle coach and Essendon hard man Mark Harvey was the guest speaker on the night
Harvey said grass roots football was the most genuine part of the national game.
He said he had coached a number of players who had started their career in the AFL at an older age and encouraged everyone to strive for their best.
Award winners
Leading goal kicker:
Colts – Daniel Hatch 60 (Rockingham)
Reserves – Josh Bartlett 72 (Baldivis)
League – Alan Wilson 83 (Waroona)
Colts Rising Star:
Winner – Chean Noronha (Baldivis)
Reserves MVP:
Winner – Reece Price (South Mandurah)
Mandurah Mail Medal (League):
Winner – Steven Kenny (Rockingham)
Cavaliers Palyer of the Year:
Colts Winner – Christopher Lee (Centrals)
League Winner – Michael Grainger (Mandurah)
Volunteer of the Year:
Winner – Frank Giannini (Centrals)
Trainer of the Year
Winner – Mick Taylor (South Mandurah)
Team Manager of the Year:
Winner – Luana Patten (Halls Head)
Umpire of the Year:
Winner – Liam Kerr
Administrator of the Year:
Winner – Jasmine Cashell (South Mandurah)
Club Championship:
Winner – Waroona (266)
2nd – Centrals (240)
3rd – Halls Head (230)
Dudley Tuckey Medal (Colts):
Winner – Chean Noronha 30 (Baldivis)
Runner-up – Michael Beeton (Halls Head) Damien Young (Waroona) 18
Murray Cowper Medal (Reserves):
Winner – Chris Smogavec (Baldivis)
Runner-up – Wade Hall 15 (Halls Head)
Ross Elliott Medal:
Winners – Tim Bruce (Halls Head) and Tom Harper (Pinjarra)
Runners-up – Ben Wright, Courtney Lakay, Jayden Caratti 15 (Waroona)
Life membership:
Deb Clancy (Waroona)
Scott Jarvis
