ELLINBANK AND DISTRICT FOOTBALL LEAGUE
SENIOR BEST AND FAIREST
By Russell Bennett
TYE Holland never thought his Monday night would end with another Alf Walton Medal. He was late home to Drouin from a new job at Cape Schanck and couldn’t make it to the presentation night on time at the Downtowner in Warragul.
He didn’t think that would matter because, although he knew he had another one of his trademark, consistently strong seasons, he didn’t even think he’d be the leading vote-getter in his own team.
“I got home from work pretty late and I messaged Shane (Brewster),” Holland said.
“It was about 8.15 and I said I’d probably just have a shower and go to bed, and then I started getting a few messages saying it was getting pretty tight and all of a sudden I was up and at ‘em once I started hearing that!
“It was great!”
Brewster, along with Holland, were two clear standouts for a Dusties side that disappointingly fell short of a finals berth this season. They both had great years, but not many realised just how great.
Holland was on just five votes through the first three rounds of Monday night’s count, and on just nine votes in Round 10.
But then he made his charge – storming home to win with 23 votes from hot favourite Chris Urie from Neerim Neerim South on 18 and a pair of real surprise packets, Catani’s Nic Visser with 17 and Nilma Darnum’s Luke Lange with 16.
Holland also won the Alf Walton in 2014 – winning the Eastern Division medal with Longwarry, while Luke Walker (then with Kooweerup) won the Western Division award.
To say Holland joins esteemed company with Monday’s win is a slight understatement. According to EDFL records which stretch back to 1938, he’s the only person to win the league’s best and fairest award at two different clubs.
“In the past four or five years I finished in the top 10 so I thought I’d be around the mark again,” Holland said.
“But I didn’t think I’d win it.”
Dusties president Brian ‘Butch’ Hemming accepted the award on Holland’s behalf, and took the opportunity to deliver one of the great speeches.
“He’s one of the ugliest and worst-looking footballers I’ve ever seen!” he said, to fits of laughter from the audience.
But the truth is that Holland is unfashionable. He doesn’t look like a dominant midfielder that routinely takes opposition sides to the cleaners. But he is. His ball-winning ability and hardness at the contest are becoming legendary throughout the EDFL, if they aren’t already.
Holland, who turns 29 this year, has been an EDFL fixture for the past decade.
“There’s no secret,” he said.
“I just always train hard and try to get the best out of myself. I push myself as hard as I can go and I’m pretty competitive.
“I always try to play at my best and help the team win – that’s the main thing. I try to play consistently, rather than put in those one or two good games a year. I’ve prided myself on being consistent every week.”
But Holland thought Shane would win Monday night’s award.
“Maybe it’s just because I’m playing with him now, but I just thought he deserved it,” he said.
“He had a great year. Clearly we were pretty tight but this was one of his best years I’ve seen and I didn’t really see him play a bad game all year.
“He probably featured in the best nearly every week and I think his leadership helps him as well. You have to respect him – he just makes you want to go out there and play for him.”
Also on Monday night, Nar Nar Goon president Patrick Noonan accepted the Arthur Pollard Award on behalf of young star Trent Armour – a co-winner with Longwarry’s Jedd Serong.
The award, which is given to the junior player with the most senior votes, was graciously accepted by Noonan before he even more graciously bid the EDFL a farewell on behalf of the five departing clubs – saying the league was there for them when they all needed it most.
Cora Lynn took out the Club Championship award, Chris Urie and Cora Lynn gun Ricky Clark tied for the Lang Lang Golf Club MVP award, Nyora was named the Most Disciplined Club, and Daniel Wright – son of Bunyip president Alan Wright – won the Gerard Heenan Medal for the best and fairest in the reserves by just one vote from the Dusties’ Damien Mullen and Neerim South’s Tim Leicester.
Warragul’s Shane Ingham was the highest goal kicker in the reserves and Kooweerup’s Mitch Collins in the seniors, while Catani favourite son Luke ‘Chops’ McFarlane was bestowed the league’s first life membership since 2013.
After making his senior debut in the 1990s, McFarlane has won two senior flags at the Blues, but said there’s nothing better than going out and shedding blood, sweat and tears against opposition clubs. Well said, Chops.
