Devil earns second Whitley Medal after splendid season

ANOTHER Whitley Medal is heading to Shell Reserve with a first-year Devil claiming the Geelong & District Football League’s (GDFL) highest individual honour for the second time.

A year after Corio playing coach Joel Bennett won the award, Matthew James convincingly achieved the same honour in his first season with Corio.

Making the move from Bell Post Hill, James tallied 30 votes on his way to a second Whitley Medal, an award he earned for the first time in 2018 with the Panthers with the same number of votes.

James polled 14 times during the home and away season, earning best-on-ground kudos six times.

The first-year Devil also secured 13 out of a possible 21 votes in the first seven rounds to give himself an early advantage.

James polled again in Round 8, Round 9, Round 10 (2), Round 12, Round 13 (2), Round 14 (2), Round 15 (3), Round 16, Round 17 (3) and again in Round 18 (2) to cap off the stellar season.

James finished on 30 votes, seven votes ahead of this year’s tally runner-up and East Geelong skipper John McIntyre (23 votes) and eight ahead of Bell Post Hill captain Jack Yates (22 votes) and Werribee Centrals’ Tyler Crennan (22 votes).

James was not the only name to feature in the GDFL Team of the Year, making the side alongside Toby Bennett, who made the squad for the second year in a row, and former North Shore player Herschelle Carr, another first-year Devil.

Joining Bennett in the backline were Luke Bowdern (Bannockburn), Jack Dickson (East Geelong), Finlay Parish (Winchelsea), Stephen Salajan (Thomson) and Jaydan McLaughlan (East Geelong).

Werribee captain Michael Culliver and Thomson’s Charlie Donohue form up the side’s wings with Eagles midfielder McIntyre taking the centre spot.

Bannockburn big man Kieran Fulton, Thomson’s Billy Smedts and Anakie signing Luke Dahlhaus named as followers.

Inverleigh stalwart Adam Donohue, Anakie forward Oscar Barter, Wayne Tyquin medallists Jordan Gould (Winchelsea) and Werribee youngster Carmelo Saliba, Belmont’s Ben Evans and Carr made up the forward line.

James, Crennan, East Geelong’s Ben Crombie and Belmont’s Brad Michell were selected on the interchange, while Belmont co-coaches Brent Vermeulen and Andy Walsgott were named coaches. McIntyre was named captain.

Belmont’s Adam Beath was awarded the Reserves’ Ivan Tansing medal with 16 votes and Inverleigh’s Logan Haberfield earned Rookie of the Year.

Check out this season’s Team of the Year:

The top 10 vote-getters in this year’s GDFL count:

• Matthew James (Corio) – 30 votes
• John McIntyre (East Geelong) – 23 votes
• Jack Yates (Bell Post Hill) – 22 votes
• Tyler Crennan (Werribee Centrals) – 22 votes
• Billie Smedts (Thomson) – 21 votes
• Benjamin Evans (Belmont Lions) – 20 votes
• Kieran Fulton (Bannockburn) – 19 votes
• Rory Desnoy (North Geelong) – 19 votes
• Michael Culliver (Werribee Centrals) – 17 votes
• Luke Dahlhaus (Anakie) – 13 votes.