Eagles ruckman named Whitley Medal winner

THE Whitley Medal will reside at Richmond Oval for the next year with East Geelong ruckman Tim McLennan taking home the GDFL’s best and fairest in an exhilarating one-two-three finish.

McLennan polled 22 votes, one vote ahead of fellow ruckman Luke Wilson who had 21 at the end of the count.

Bell Post Hill midfielder Matt James settled for third in the count with 20 votes, two votes shy of a second Whitley Medal (2018).

McLennan pulled off one of the great vote count rallies on the back of an outstanding second half of the campaign, not polling until East Geelong’s Round 8 match against Geelong West, earning best-on-ground honours on the day with his initial three votes of the season.

McLennan polled again in rounds 10 (3 votes), 11 (3 votes), 13 (3 votes), 14 (2 votes), 16 (3 votes), 17 (2 votes) and 18 (3 votes) to claim the medal in the second final game of the GDFL season.

Favourites in the lead up were Matt Tyquin (Inverleigh) and Will Ford (Bell Post Hill), who was ineligible due to suspension, placed 11^th and 14^th respectively with 13 votes and 12 votes.

Bannockburn’s Kieran Fulton impressed on the night with 19 votes to finish fourth, three votes off the pace, while Corio star Joel Bennett snared 18 votes to round out the top five, capping off one of the closest Whitley medal counts in GDFL history.

Dale Lappin completed the double for East Geelong, claiming the Ivan Tansing Medal in the reserves competition with 26 votes, five votes ahead of Bannockburn’s Matt Watts who finished on 21.

East Geelong’s success continued throughout the night with Eagles head coach Ben Boseley announced as Coach of the Year.

Eagles’ Tim McLennan (ruck), Ryan Rich (back), Tom Cordner-Maas (centre line), Ryan Lempa (half-forward), Jake Watson-Serle (half-forward) and John McIntyre (interchange) all made Team of the Season selections reflecting a season that led to a minor premiership.

Inverleigh had four names added to the team headed by player-coach Adam Donohue (half-back), Matt Tyquin (follower), Luke Wilson (interchange) and Jack Fiolet (half-back) donned with the vice-captaincy of the team.

Bell Post Hill’s Beau McNamara (back), Will Ford (forward) and 2021 co-Whitley medal winner Dylan Witney (follower) made the squad of 22.

Bannockburn was represented by Dan Measures (back), last year’s co-Whitley medal winner Jack Brauman (centre line) and Keiran Fulton (half-forward), whereas Michael Leamer (half-back) and Blake Dye (forward) both carried Geelong West’s name.

Team of the season captain Joel Bennett (Corio), Brent Jacques (Belmont), Daniel Freeman (Thomson) and Tyler Crennan (Werribee Centrals) were the only ones from their clubs to make the group.

Here is the top-10 list of vote-getters on the night:

1. Tim McLennan (East Geelong) – 22 votes
2. Luke Wilson (Inverleigh) – 21 votes
3. Matthew James (Bell Post Hill) –  20 votes
4. Kieran Fulton (Bannockburn) – 19 votes
5. Joel Bennett (Corio) – 18 votes
6. Jack Yates (Bell Post Hill) – 17 votes
7. Blake Dye (Geelong West) – 16 votes
8. Nathan Bisset (Belmont) – 15 votes
9. Jai Robinson (Bannockburn) – 13 votes
10. Matt Tyquin (Inverleigh) – 13 votes