PREMIUM
Sport

Saints cap off 2023 with presentation night

Thumbs up: Brett Cooper Memorial Award presented by Brooke Robertson to Tom O’Brien. Photo: Brenden Paddock. Photo by Brenden Paddock

With the season behind them, it was time for the Saints to praise their best club members of 2023.

On Saturday, October 14, the Benalla Saints Football Netball Club held its presentation night at its clubrooms.

One big question was who would take out the senior footballers’ best-and-fairest award.

B-grade netball: Mim McKenzie (coaches award), Hannah McIntosh (best-and-fairest winner) and Emily Neilson (runner-up). Photo: Brenden Paddock. Photo by Brenden Paddock

It was a race in two after points had been tallied for the first 15 rounds of the season.

A slim margin separated Tom Bennett from Jordan Wolff.

As the votes rolled in for the final rounds, Wolff polled a staggering 42 points to leapfrog Bennett and claim the top prize.

In the A-grade netball vote count, there was a clear favourite.

Life member: Len Willhelme was awarded life membership for his services to the club. Photo: Brenden Paddock. Photo by Brenden Paddock

Olivia Dalton led the tally by 18 points after 15 rounds and continued to poll votes in the final rounds.

She comfortably claimed the title of best-and-fairest with 70 votes, while Alex Davies and Kate Symes were equal runners-up with 53 votes.

What makes the best-and-fairest wins by Dalton and Wolff even more special is they are siblings.

Award winner: Sam Cullen was the male recipient of the Alby Hales Memorial Medal for Best Junior Club Persons. Photo: Brenden Paddock. Photo by Brenden Paddock

The Saints also recognised the hard work going on off the field and court at their presentation night.

The Best Club Person award went to John Binion, while Len Willhelme was awarded life membership for services rendered to the club.

The Alby Hales Memorial Medal for Best Junior Club Persons went to Sam Cullen and Milly Evans, and the Brett Copper Award went to Tom O’Brien.

Recognition: Milly Evans was the female recipient of the Alby Hales Memorial Medal for Best Junior Club Persons. Photo: Brenden Paddock. Photo by Brenden Paddock

The awards winners were:

Netball:

Under-17s

Under-17s netball: Milly Evans (coaches award), Nikita Hanson (best-and-fairest runner-up) and Zoe Liddington (best-and-fairest winner). Photo: Brenden Paddock. Photo by Brenden Paddock
  • Runner-up: Nikita Hanson - 49 votes
  • Best and Fairest: Zoe Liddington - 60 votes
  • Coaches Award: Milly Evans

B reserve

  • Runner-up: Jodie Symes - 53 votes
  • Best and Fairest: Stacey Emms - 72 votes
  • Coaches Award: Megan Horsborough

B-grade

  • Runner-up: Emily Neilson - 43 votes
  • Best and Fairest: Hannah McIntosh - 60 votes
  • Coaches Award: Mim McKenzie

A-grade

A-grade netball: Alex Davies (best-and-fairest runner-up) and Olivia Dalton (best-and-fairest winner). Photo: Brenden Paddock. Photo by Brenden Paddock
  • Runner-up: Alex Davies and Kate Symes - 53 votes
  • Best and Fairest: Olivia Dalton - 70 votes
  • Coaches Award: Alex Davies

Football:

Thirds

  • Runner-up: Miller Gilcrist - 93 votes
  • Best and Fairest: Tom Riley - 128 votes
  • Goal kicking: Tom Riley
  • Coaches Award: Jakob Adams

Reserves

Reserves: Jaidyn Chee (best-and-fairest runner-up) and Dan Hurley (Coaches Award). Absent: Zac Amarant (best-and-fairest winner). Photo: Brenden Paddock. Photo by Brenden Paddock
  • Runner-up: Jaidyn Chee - 67 votes
  • Best and Fairest: Zac Amarant - 76 votes
  • Goal kicking: Jaidyn Chee
  • Coaches Award: Dan Hurley

Seniors

Seniors: Tom O’Brien (Coaches Award) and Tom Bennett (best-and-fairest runner-up). Absent: Jordan Wolff (best-and-fairest winner). Photo: Brenden Paddock. Photo by Brenden Paddock
  • Runner-up: Tom Bennett - 135 votes
  • Best and Fairest: Jordan Wolff - 158 votes
  • Goal kicking: Jarred Waite
  • Coaches award: Tom O’Brien

Club awards

  • Life members 150 senior games: Mim McKenzie, Tom O’Brien
  • Life member for services rendered to the club: Len Willhelme
  • Best club person: John Binion
  • Abby Hales Memorial Medal for best junior club persons: Sam Cullen and Milly Evans
  • Brett Cooper Award: Tom O’Brien