SOUTH EAST FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE
2016 PRESENTATION NIGHT
By David Nagel
CHAMPION Beaconsfield ruckman Scott Meyer has been elevated into rarefied air after taking home a third Norm Walker Medal for best and fairest in the South East Football Netball League.
Meyer finished on 21 votes, five clear of last year’s joint winners Russell Gabriel (Doveton) and Madi Andrews (Berwick), to add a third gong to his back-to-back success stories of 2012/13.
The 30-year-old’s victory at the Cardinia Cultural Centre capped off a great Monday night for Beaconsfield with 19-year-old rising star Kaela Hughes taking out the A Grade netball award.
Hughes rode a fast start to 25 votes to win by four from Narre Warren’s Leigh Taylor, with Hampton Park defender Karli Foster one vote back in third place.
Meyer, who was surprised with his win, had a great season, winning best on ground honours at both interleague and Vic Country this year. The humble champion said winning a third award would be something he could look back on with pride in years to come.
“It’s not something you think about too much in the moment, but obviously looking back down the track I’ll be proud of this year,” Meyer said.
“I had a consistent year, very lucky with my body which held up well and allowed me to play interleague and Vic Country as well. The body holding up was the main reason I could do those things this year. It’s great to be recognised, a little surprised to be honest, but very happy how things turned out tonight.”
Meyer said the award capped off a challenging season, with Beaconsfield’s lack of depth in the reserves not hindering a stellar run through to this year’s preliminary final.
“Absolutely, it was a challenging year in some respects because we were really struggling some weeks to fill a reserves side, which hampers your depth, but somehow we found a way through and I think we’re all pretty proud of what we achieved this year,” he said.
“We were a bit up and down compared to the previous three years but we hit our straps towards the end of the season and finished off well.”
Meyer paid special tribute to outgoing coach Clint Evans, who took over the role when Meyer re-joined the Eagles in 2013.
“He’s a great player’s coach, he got a lot out of the boys over the last four years and we had some great success under him,” he said, before adding a cryptic message to end with.
“It’s going to be sad to see him move on, but who knows what the future might hold.”
The win of Hughes was set up early, the feisty mid-courter topping the charts with 22 votes after Round 10 and holding on to become the first Beaconsfield player to take the award since her idol Jasmine Jones (nee Maddocks) in 2012.
Hughes was coached by Maddocks in her junior days and was a little overwhelmed to have joined her hero as an A Grade medal winner.
“I’m actually really shocked, really excited and really happy right now,” Hughes said.
”She (Maddocks) was my coach for many years through juniors and has been my idol since I was 12, so to kind of walk in her shoes tonight is a privilege and I’m really honoured.”
Hughes has taken her netball to new levels, not just with Beaconsfield where she will compete in this week’s SEFNL grand final against Narre Warren, but with the Monash University Storm where she played 10 games in the VNL Championship this year.
“I feel like this year has been my best so far, it was my best achievement in making the championships fresh out of juniors, and it just excites me for what the future might hold,” she said.
“I’ve been cut from the Vic teams each year, so VNL is probably my top level right now, but the dream is still to go all the way.”
Hughes wanted to thank her club and her family for their unwavering support throughout her fledgling career.
“I can’t thank the club enough, I’ve been there all my life and started my netball there and that’s where I’ll finish,” she said.
“My family, mum and dad, (Jenny and Darren) and my brother (Kane), they’ve all been a massive support. Mum and dad still drive into the city and drive to all the courts on a Saturday to watch me play; they’re awesome with what they do.”
Hughes said her club looks set for a very exciting future.
“We’ve got six players under 20 in our team, we’re very young and it just shows how much Beaconsfield has got to look forward to,” she said.
“My award definitely goes back to how well we’ve played as a team this year.”
Hughes never takes a backward step and said that feisty nature had definitely come from her gene pool.
“All the family is very determined; it’s definitely in the blood.”
Other highlights on the night included a third-consecutive Bill Williamson Medal for Pakenham’s Jack Kowarzik as best and fairest in the reserves, while SEFNL Leagues Manager Liz Triffitt paid a wonderful tribute to the late-great Beau Miller, a dual Norm Walker Medallist and multiple Team of the Year representative too who lost his battle with cancer during the season.
SEFNL AWARD WINNERS
FOOTBALL
SENIORS B&F – NORM WALKER MEDAL
Scott Meyer (Beaconsfield) 21
Russell Gabriel (Doveton) 16
Madi Andrews (Berwick) 16
Luke Walker (Pakenham) 15
RESERVES – BILL WILLIAMSON MEDAL
Jack Kowarzik (Pakenham) 18
UNDER 19
Jarryd Trait (Berwick) 20
MVP
Scott Meyer (Beaconsfield)
Chris Larosa (Officer)
LEADING GOALKICKERS
SENIORS
Marc Holt (Cranbourne) 63
RESERVES
Harrison Money (Berwick) 54
UNDER 19
Trent Thomas (Berwick) 58
COACH OF THE YEAR
Rhys Nisbet (Berwick)
MARK OF THE YEAR
Lucas Jellyman-Turner (Berwick)
GOAL OF THE YEAR
Matt DeBruin (Pakenham)
NETBALL
A GRADE
Kaela Hughes (Beaconsfield) 25
Leigh Taylor (Narre Warren) 21
Karli Foster (Hampton Park) 20
Tara Cecil (Cranbourne) 18
Sharni Lambden (Cranbourne) 18
B GRADE
Carly Stagg (Narre Warren) 24
C GRADE
Caitlin Anthony (Berwick) 21
D GRADE
Jessica Egan (Narre Warren) 19
17 UNDER RED
Emma Jones (Pakenham) 32
17 UNDER WHITE
Jenna Bliss (Cranbourne) 23
15 UNDER RED
Jaymee Eastwood (ROC) 24
15 UNDER WHITE
Hanna Levin (Hampton Park) 35
13 UNDER RED
Charlie Rout (Pakenham) 25
13 UNDER WHITE
Adele St Mart (Cranbourne) 32
MVP
Samantha Neil (ROC)
COACH OF THE YEAR
Kelly Haynes (Tooradin-Dalmore)
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Denise and Geoff McGowan (Beaconsfield)
CLUB AWARDS
NETBALL
Narre Warren
FOOTBALL
Berwick
CLUB CHAMPIONS
Narre Warren
SERVICE AWARDS
200 GAMES
Hayley McLean, Damien Szwaja (Beaconsfield); Nick Barker, Ryan Davey, Stuart Morrish (Cranbourne); Aaron Henwood, Chris Rodriquez (Doveton); Donna Kellett (Hampton Park); Kate Gillespie (Tooradin-Dalmore).
250 GAMES
Jodie Holt (Cranbourne), Lisa Simpson (Hampton Park), Meaghan Musgrave (Pakenham).
