O’Connell goes back-to-back; Cheesman claims top netball honour

SENIOR captain Joel O’Connell and midcourter Sadie Cheesman have taken out Lake Wendouree’s top football and netball honours for 2025.

O’Connell made it back-to-back wins of the senior football best and fairest award, named after his father and club legend Peter O’Connell.

The versatile Jaydo Wright capped a consistent season as the runner-up behind O’Connell, while Kynan Raven was awarded the most consistent trophy.

In a season heavily focused on promoting youth, Angus O’Keefe stood tall as the Rising Star award.

Noah Shearer claimed the Terry Simpson Anchor Award.

Chosen in the BFNL’s netball team of the year at centre, Cheesman was a deserving winner of the Sally McLean best and fairest award in A-grade.

The star midcourter is firmly established as one of the league’s most consistent midcourt performers.

In a promising sign for the future, teenage defender Audrey Dommaile finished as the runner-up.

Versatile midcourter Kara Hart was recognised with the Trademark award.

In major club awards, Jordan McKay claimed the Holloway Award as best club person and Natalee McKay was awarded life membership.

In one of the most popular and sentimental wins on awards, footballer Isaac Torpy was unveiled as the winner of the Dale Shorter Memorial Award as the most courageous club person.

Torpy made his senior football debut in round 11 against North Ballarat, only days before undergoing a life-altering foot amputation, following the diagnosis of a rare and aggressive cancer.

His first senior game coincided with his 150th game for the Lakers, where he started as a junior in 2015.

Torpy had played 26 games with the club’s reserves before his senior debut, including 10 this year.

 

Senior football

Peter O’Connell best and fairest award: Joel O’Connell

Runner-up: Jaydo Wright

Most consistent: Kynan Raven

Leigh Williams Rising Star Award: Angus O’Keefe

Terry Simpson Anchor Award: Noah Shearer

Reserves football

Best and fairest: Liam Holmes

Runner-up: Sam Canny

Most consistent: Sean O’Connell

Roger Eatts Memorial Anchor Award: Tom Floyd

Under-18.5 football

Best and fairest: Rawdon Rodgers

Runner-up: Manny Thorne

Coaches award: Thomas Bibby

Most consistent: Archie Todd, Joseph Dowling

Anchor award: James Parkinson

A-grade netball

Sally McLean best and fairest award: Sadie Cheesman

Runner-up: Audrey Domaille

Trademark award: Kara Hart

B-grade netball

Best and fairest: Emma Gill

Runner-up: Talia Hurdsfield

Trademark award: Abby Boyle

C-grade netball

Best and fairest: Paris Shrive

Runner-up: Emma Hobbs

Trademark award: Dakoda Emery

D-grade netball

Best and fairest: Annie Maddison

Runner-up: Holly McSparron

Trademark award: Annie Maddison

E-grade netball

Best and fairest: Molly Clifton-Larkin

Runner-up: Lexia McNaughton

Trademark award: Polly Thompson

Under-19 netball

Best and fairest: Eden James

Runners-up: Milla Moore, Ruby Adams

Club awards

Holloway Award – best club person: Jordan McKay

Life member inductee: Natalee McKay

Dale Shorter Memorial Award – most courageous club person: Isaac Torpy