Wade crowned Swan Hill’s best
SWAN Hill’s Matthew Wade capped off his extraordinary season on a high by winning yet another club best and fairest on Thursday night.
Wade was a clear favourite, having already won his third Jack Betts Medal as the Central Murray’s best player and The Guardian’s LJ Hooker Player of the Year award.
It gave Wade back-to-back wins in the Swans’ best and fairest, having also won last year’s award.
The 2021 best and fairest Toby Thoolen was also rewarded for another consistent season, finishing runner-up.
Jayden Boutkan claimed the reserves best and fairest, while young gun Bodhi Kelly capped off a terrific campaign, in which he also made his seniors debut, to win the colts best and fairest.
Recruits lead the way for Ultima
ULTIMA recently crowned their club champions and Jake Foster took home his first senior best and fairest with the Roos.
Foster, recruited from the Mallee Eagles at the start of the season, held off another recruit in former Swan Hill forward Mitch Makepeace, who played predominately across half-back.
Ultima’s reserves best and fairest was won by Reece Harberger, just ahead of Jordan King, while the Roos’ under-17.5 award was won by Eddie Kuchel, ahead of Jack Miller.
Louisa Frost capped off another successful season in the blue and white to win Ultima’s A Grade netball best and fairest. Coach Tayla Foster and Jade Symons were joint runners-up.
The remaining netball best and fairests went to Rachel Grant in the B Grade, ahead of Megan Bull, and Zoe Benfield in the B Reserves, ahead of Ashlynn Healey.
Raiders look ahead to 2024
KOONDROOK-Barham have wasted no time in bolstering their playing list for next season, announcing four big signings.
Wentworth pair Jordan McKinnon and Cambell Davison, along with Bambill premiership players Nathan and Jason Hura, will all join the River Raiders next season.
The club is determined to improve after a campaign where their seniors went winless for the first time in club history.
McKinnon, Davison and Jason Hura will help strengthen Koondrook-Barham’s midfield, McKinnon and Hura likely to use their skills and goal sense up forward as well.
Nathan Hura is a key position forward-defender who can also rotate through the ruck, and will help fill a much-needed hole as a marking target in the forward half.
Several key players also recommitted for next season, including Kye Attewell, Patrick Goble, Colin McVeigh, Corey Barrington, Reagan Hamilton, Mitch Christensen and Scott Wood.
