Young defender Luke Ryan’s brief yet impressive VFL debut season was capped off in superb fashion, winning last the Fothergill-Round Medal as the VFL’s best player under 23 years of age most likely to go onto AFL level, held at Monday night’s JJ Liston medal night at the Crown Palladium.
The 20-year-old, who joined the Lions less than a fortnight before the opening game of the season, became the first Lion to win the award since Kristian de Pasquale, another running defender, in 2001. While he only managed ten games for the year, Luke was named amongst his coaches best five times, despite having his season being interrupted by ankle and shoulder injuries.
Luke would also be named in the 2016 VFL Team of the Year in the back pocket. He would be joined by Robbie Fox who was named on a wing, while fellow Fothergill Round Medallist Ahmed Saad (2001) was named as the sides full forward.
Saad would also be awarded with his Frosty Miller Medal as the competitions leading goal kicker for his 49 goal haul, finishing well ahead of a range of goal kickers in the 30’s, which included former St.Kilda team mates Cameron Shenton and Sam Dunell. Saad on three occasions throughout the 2016 season managed season high six goal hauls against Port Melbourne, North Ballarat and Footscray.
The Liston Trophy vote count saw Ozgur Uysal manage eight votes, the most of any Lion for 2016. Tom Goodwin followed with seven votes. Overall, the Lions managed to poll 43 team votes for the season. Michael Gibbons from Williamstown was the eventual winner with seventeen votes finishing ahead of Geelong’s George Horlin-Smith and Port Melbourne Captain Toby Pinwill.
The A.Todd Medal count, won by Casey Scorpions ruckman Oscar McInerney with 16 votes, saw first year Lion Adam Valeri manage a top ten finish, finishing equal seventh with nine votes, the most of all Lions players in the competition throughout the 2016 season. Valeri was named best on ground three times- round two against Port Melbourne, round fourteen against Sandringham and round nineteen against Frankston. Overall, Coburg polled 49 competition votes.
The women’s VFL best and fairest saw our aligned side in Darebin Falcons be recognized for their efforts in the first season in the competition. Daisy Pearce won the inaugural best and fairest by 33 votes, ahead of St.Kilda’s Brianna Davey who finished with 29 votes. Falcons teammate Katie Brennan finished with 22 votes in fourth place.
Pearce and Brennan would also be joined in the inaugural Team of the Year with Melissa Hickey, Karen Paxman, Darcy Vescio, and Lauren Arnell.
For the three Lions named in the team of the year, it is a testament to their individual efforts throughout a disappointing 2016 season for a club as a whole. Ryan and Fox have both been invited to the National and State draft combines later this year, although Ryan will miss due to recovering from surgery. While for Saad, it also caps off an outstanding return to the VFL competition following his brief yet eventful AFL stint with St.Kilda. Saad also becomes the first player to win the Frosty Miller Medal since Brett Weatherald in 1987.
JJ Liston Medal Votes
Player | Votes |
Ozgur Uysal | 8 |
Tom Goodwin | 7 |
Ahmed Saad | 6 |
Liam Hunt | 6 |
Daniel Younan | 4 |
Nathan Thomas | 3 |
Robbie Fox | 3 |
Josh Cauchi | 2 |
Lech Featherstone | 2 |
Josh Iacobaccio | 1 |
Lachlan Johns | 1 |
Total | 43 |
A.Todd Medal Votes
Player | Votes |
Adam Valeri | 9 |
Jesse Corigliano | 6 |
Michael Ercolano | 5 |
Callum Urquhart | 4 |
Jackson Clarke | 4 |
Matthew Merlo | 4 |
Dion Hill | 3 |
Jake Kalanj | 3 |
Mark Orr | 3 |
Ricky Schraven | 3 |
Garrett McDonagh | 2 |
Matthew Stillman | 2 |
Nick Robortella | 1 |
Total | 49 |