Back-to-back top honours for Tardrew, Clifford

GUN midfielder Lachlan Tardrew and midcourt ace Shae Clifford have gone back-to-back as Sandhurst’s senior football and A-grade netball best and fairest winners for 2025.

Tardrew – joint winner of the 2024 Michelsen Medal as the BFNL’s best and fairest player – capped another stellar season with a second straight Sandy McPherson/Leo Hartney Memorial Award as best and fairest.

It followed a season in which he finished top two in this year’s Michelesen count behind Eaglehawk’s Billy Evans.

Cooper Smith underlined his consistent season with the Dragons by finishing runner-up.

In other senior football awards, Fergus Greene was the leading goalkicker; Matt Wilkinson won most consistent; Liam Ireland was honoured as most courageous; and Lachie Hood won the coaches award.

While Tardrew only narrowly missed a second Micheslen Medal, it was the turn of star midcourter Clifford to take home a league best and fairest in 2025, after consecutive top three finishes in 2023 and 2024.

The 21-year-old – originally from Castlemaine – followed up with her second A-grade best and fairest, as the Dragons made it through to the premiership decider.

Defender Sophie Shoebridge finished as the runner-up, while Clifford added the players’ MVP award to her haul.

In premiership seasons for both teams, the Dragons’ 17-and-under netball and under-18 football best and fairest awards were won by Jada Raico and Harvey White.

 

In the senior women’s football, Arkie Donnelly was crowned best and fairest, with Ruby Campbell the runner-up.

Senior football

Best and fairest: Lachlan Tardrew

Runner-up: Cooper Smith

Most consistent: Matt Wilkinson

Coaches award: Lachie Hood

Leading goalkicker: Fergus Greene

Most courageous: Liam Ireland

Reserves football

Best and fairest: Henry Edwards

Runner-up: Louis Banfield

Most consistent: Will Pinniger

Leading goalkicker: Joel Wharton

Coach’s award: Declan Stevenson

Most courageous: Louis Banfield

 

Under-18 football

Best and fairest: Harvey White

Runner-up: Shannon Tardrew

Most consistent: Charlie Duke

Most courageous: Darby Whatley

Leading goalkicker: Oscar Cail

Coach’s award: Miller Nihill

Senior women’s football

Best and fairest: Arkie Donnelly

Runner-up: Ruby Campbell

Leading goalkicker: Scout Carmody

Most consistent: Sarah Baldwin

Most courageous: Katie Walker

Coach’s award: Charlotte Scanlon

Under-18 girls football

Best and fairest: Mia Maxted

Runner-up: Leni Brown

Most courageous: Ava Franklin

Most consistent: Alannah Price

Coach’s award: Poppy Wainwright

 

A-grade

Best and fairest: Shae Clifford

Runner-up: Sophie Shoebridge

Players’ MVP: Shae Clifford

A-reserve

Best and fairest: Katie Dean

Runner-up: Harriet Whiteacre

Players’ MVP: Lucy Sheriff

B-grade

Best and fairest: Charlie Coghill

Runner-up: Kate McDougall

Players’ MVP: Lucia Dyer

B-reserve

Best and fairest: Briona Giddings

Runner-up: Matilda Lockyer

Players’ MVP: Matilda Lockyer

17-and-under netball

Best and fairest: Jaida Raco

Runner-up: Lila Kelly

Players’ MVP: Lila Kelly

Club awards

Perez Family Memorial Award (club person of the year): Keith Dorsett