Stars shine at WGFNC Awards Night

By David Nagel

Phillip Island star Cameron Pedersen and Korumburra-Bena goaler Kim Hillberg have been acknowledged as the best and fairest players in the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition (WGFNC) for 2021.

Pedersen – who played 80 AFL games across eight seasons for North Melbourne and Melbourne – continued his domination of the competition since joining the Bulldogs, fresh off Melbourne’s list, in 2019.

He has now won two-consecutive Breheny Medals as the best player in senior football – while Hillberg took out her first WGFNC A Grade best and fairest award after knocking on the door in past counts.

Hillberg was third behind her sister Christie in 2017 and third again to Dalyston young gun Alana McRae in the 2018 award.

Both players were announced winners in an online event hosted by the WGFNC on Thursday night, in lieu of the traditional presentation night that could not proceed this year due to the impact of Covid-19.

The wins of Pedersen and Hillberg continue a domination of the WGFNC awards – in both senior football and A Grade netball – for the former Alberton League clubs since the reformation of the West Gippsland competition in 2017.

Andy Soumilas (Inverloch-Kongwak) and Christie Hillberg (Korumburra-Bena) won the inaugural awards, while Brendan Kimber (Phillip Island) and Alana McRae (Dalyston) triumphed in the 2018 season.

Pedersen (Phillip Island) and Renee Pilkington (Inverloch-Kongwak) took home top honours in 2019, with the names Pedersen and Hillberg reappearing again this year.

Pedersen, who has been a powerhouse in the ruck for the Bulldogs this season, had some familiar company at the top of the leaderboard, with his 16 votes finishing three clear of his Phillip Island skipper Jaymie Youle and Cora Lynn full-forward Nathan Gardiner.

Youle – centreman and captain in this season’s Team of the Year – and Gardiner both finished in the top-five when Pedersen claimed his first award in 2019.

Gardiner also won this season’s goal-kicking award, booting 50 goals in a fantastic effort in a season cut back to 11 games.

Vice-captain in this season’s Team of the Year, Kooweerup’s Tim Miller, finished alone in fourth place on 12 votes, one clear of Nar Nar Goon’s Brendan Hermann and midfield bulls Darcy Atkins, from Kilcunda-Bass and Mitchell Cammarano from Kooweerup.

Ben Miller from Kooweerup won the reserves best and fairest award, polling 17 votes to finish five clear of his nearest pursuer, Phillip Island’s Noah Bee-Hickman.

Exciting Cora Lynn talent Duoth Jock polled 12 votes to win the thirds’ best and fairest award by two votes from Garfield’s Josh Evans, while Garfield’s Ben Tenace-Greenall scored a one-vote victory over Inverloch-Kongwak’s William Turner to claim the fourths’ best and fairest.

Tenace-Greenall attracted 17 votes from the umpires this year, with Turner on 16 and Tooradin-Dalmore’s Jess Craven and Cora Lynn’s Jett Edwards two further back on 14.

Hillberg, the only footballer or netballer to be selected in four WGFNC Team’s of the Year, has been the focal point in the attacking ring for the Giants this season.

The classy mover, and deadly finisher, polled 18 votes to win by three from Tooradin-Dalmore’s Alex Maher, with Pilkington, the 2019 winner, in equal third place beside Korumburra-Bena pair Gemma Dixon and Kelsey Buxton.

Inverloch-Kongwak’s Amy Hodge claimed a narrow victory in B Grade, while her fellow Sea Eagle Abby Morgan scored a runaway six-vote victory in C Grade.

Esther Allan was Nar Nar Goon’s hero of the night, winning D Grade, while Sienna Green continued her rapid rise as a talent by scoring a two-vote victory in the 17-Under competition.

Green – who was also nominated for this season’s A Grade Team of the Year squad – won by two votes from Phillip Island’s Ella Duggan.

Lily Coco Mewett from Phillip Island polled 22 votes to win by six in the 15-under competition, while Kira Wilson scored a whopping 24 votes – the highest of any grade in the WGFNC – to win the 13-under award.

And congratulations to Inverloch-Kongwak young gun Torah Boyd Metselaar for winning the 11-Under best and fairest award. Metselaar won by one vote from Kooweerup up-and-comer Annabel O’Hara.

This year’s combined Club Championship Award was won by the Inverloch-Kongwak Football Netball Club.