Murchison-Toolamba’s James Milne is a three-way winner of the 2024 McNamara Medal alongside Nagambie duo Rielly Old and Blake Fothergill.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Kyabram District League’s senior best-and-fairest count has witnessed one of its most thrilling finishes in recent history.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
The McNamara Medal race, held on Thursday night at the GV Hotel, finished in a three-way tie with Nagambie duo Rielly Old and Blake Fothergill sharing the spoils with Murchison-Toolamba’s James Milne.
It is the first triple-winner split in the medal’s 78-year history.
The Lakers pair could not be separated from the silky Hoppers onballer, each tallying 22 votes in what will be remembered as a dead heat for the ages.
Rielly Old was one of two Lakers to be named joint winner of the 2024 McNamara Medal.
Photo by
Hamish Donaldson
Meanwhile, omnipresent Nagambie goaler Sharni Lloyd claimed her fifth Warren Medal in emphatic fashion, rounding out the count in pole position with a total of 28 votes.
With the KDL’s 57th best-and-fairest presentation night now in the books, league president Peter Cordy was ecstatic to see a great turnout celebrate another season of football and netball in the district.
“It was a fantastic night where representatives from each of our member clubs came together to celebrate the league’s best-and-fairest as well as our other award winners,” he said.
“We were also pleased to announce our team of the year for both football and netball.”
For Milne, Thursday night’s collect caps off a week he won’t soon forget.
After winning the KDL senior football grand final with Murchison-Toolamba on Saturday, Milne became the first Hopper to lay hands on a McNamara Medal since 1976.
Meanwhile, Old and Fothergill joined elite company as the first Lakers to reap the prize since Mick Shiels in 2014 and 2007 after Rohan Aldous’ superb three-peat in 1998-2000.
But when it comes to grips on the competition, no-one holds a candle to Lloyd.
Nagambie’s Sharni Lloyd was the recipient of the 2024 Warren Medal.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Now peerless as the most dominant individual netballer in the KDL since the turn of the decade, the ace Nagambie goal attacker picked up her first Warren Medal since 2017 to also earn her spot in the A-grade netball team of the year.
She features alongside fellow Laker Michelle Williams while Lancaster boasts the most representatives with three: Chicquita Vick, Caddison Mulholland and Phillipa Inglis.
Meanwhile, Fothergill was the only 2024 McNamara Medallist to make the senior football team of the year in a side heavily flavoured with Murchison-Toolamba talent.
The Hoppers feature four in the side among a 22 comprised of players from 13 different clubs.
Nagambie's Blake Fothergill finished the McNamara Medal count with 22 votes, enough to make him a joint winner.
Photo by
Aydin Payne
With the door closing on another great season, Cordy signed off with a few words of thanks to those involved in the presentation night’s hosting.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank league partners the GV Hotel for hosting us, all our club volunteers, club executives and committees, players, community members, our valued partners and AFL Goulburn Murray for their assistance in putting this evening together,” Cordy said.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to also thank all our partners including naming rights partner The Apprenticeship Factory. Their support is very much appreciated.”
KDL football team of the year
B: Zac Parkinson (Merrigum), Joshua Delaney (Avenel), Mark Nolan (Nagambie)
HB: Jack Donnell (Stanhope), Lachie Devine (Murchison-Toolamba), Liam Francis (Rushworth)
