Featherby to lead Swans
Moulamein will attempt to break a 36-year premiership drought under the leadership of new coach Shane Featherby in 2024.
He was appointed senior coach of the Swans last week, with the club announcing the move on their social media platforms.
Featherby played over 200 senior games and won nine premierships as a player. He will take over from Heath Moloney, who has led Moulamein for the past three seasons, including taking the club to the 2022 Golden Rivers grand final, which they lost to Nullawil by 68 points.
Moloney will remain with the Swans and continue as a player, with Featherby to be a non-playing coach.
Barry’s triple treat
Woorinen’s Jye Barry has confirmed his status as the Tigers’ number one midfielder, winning his third straight club best and fairest on the weekend.
Barry polled 154 votes to beat runner up Lachlan Warburton by 34 votes, while ruckman/forward Lachlan Gardner finished third with 112 votes.
Henry Thompson capped off a breakout season in yellow and black, polling 102 votes to finish fourth, while Josh Domaille rounded out the top five to poll 94 votes.
The Tigers reserves best and fairest was won by Caylan Lyons, while Tahj Bolton followed up his Central Murray colts best and fairest victory by also claiming Woorinen’s colts best and fairest.
Tess Demaria also won consecutive A grade netball best and fairest awards in the yellow and black.
Demaria pipped A grade coach Tayla Bennett to be named as the Tigers’ best, with Amy Cadd taking home Woorinen’s A reserves best and fairest, ahead of Jana Beasy.
Melissa Rushton was declared Woorinen’s B grade best and fairest, ahead of Tenay Fellows, with Remi Maher beating Gabrielle Boers to win the Tigers B reserves best and fairest.
Grenfell in Demons squad
Nyah-Nyah West United have made their first big move of this year’s off-season, after signing star full-forward Brandyn Grenfell for next season.
Grenfell’s recruitment is a major feather in the Demons’ cap, with the key forward one of the key factors in Marong’s back-to-back LVFNL premierships in recent seasons.
He played for the Demons against the Mallee Eagles in round 6 this year when Marong had the bye.
He kicked five goals in the Demons 62-point win.
As the Loddon Valley league’s leading goal kicker for the past two seasons, Grenfell comes with an impressive record, including winning Marong’s best and fairest this season, along with hauls of 110 and 154 goals over the past two seasons for the Panthers, on top of winning Coorparoo’s best and fairest in the QAFL in 2020.
Grenfell initially re-signed with Marong in July, but decided a move north to the Central Murray would be more beneficial, with the dual centurion leaving with the blessing of Panthers senior coach Linton Jacobs.
NNW United will be aiming to improve on their preliminary final finish next season. Grenfell is seen as the missing piece of the puzzle, with the Demons lacking a tall marking key forward in 2023.
The Demons also announced the re-signing of reigning best and fairest Joel Walsh and runner up Ethan Saville, as well as regular senior players Charlie Boulton, Brayden Bigham, Joel Campbell, Zach Threadgold, Jarrod Skinner, Riley Daniels, Mitch Grinham and Ben Shadbolt.
Morris caps perfect season
Zoe Morris has completed a perfect return to Swan Hill, adding the Swans A grade netball best and fairest to her 2023 premiership medallion.
Morris won her first Madeleine Nalder Medal, beating home fellow shooter and runner up Ingrid Condely in a closely fought count.
The other grades went the way of Peyton Oliver (A reserve), Sophie Reed (B grade) and Clare Robertson (B reserve).
Rich season rewarded
Wandella’s Russell Rich capped off another consistent season in red and black by taking out the Bombers senior best and fairest award last week.
He also won the Bombers’ best and fairest last season, and confirmed his standing as one of the Golden Rivers’ top players by winning the EG Hunt Medal as the league’s best and fairest player this season.
The reserves best and fairest was won by Adam McKenzie, while Archer Lancaster claimed victory in the under 17.5’s football best and fairest, to cap off a strong season in which he made his seniors debut.
The A grade netball best and fairest count was a much closer affair, with Trishelle Martin and Zoe Gray sharing the spoils after a tie. Young gun Emilie Lancaster finished as runner up.
Paige Ellis won the B grade best and fairest ahead of Tennealle Fenton, while Kendall Ash took home the B reserve best and fairest, with Chrissy Downs finishing runner up.
