A Grade best and fairest honours shared

NEWCOMB Power defender Jessica Duke and Torquay mid-courter Kiralee Collings have shared in the A grade league best and fairest award this evening (September 4).

The pair both polled 27 votes to take out top honours, marking the first time the award has ever been shared in the Bellarine Netball League.

Geelong Amateur pair Darcy McFarlane and Ruby Watson finished tied for third on 21 votes and reigning back-to-back winner Kaitlin Gladman (Queenscliff) on 20 votes in fifth.

The best and fairest went right down to the wire with Newcomb’s Jess Duke going into the last round one vote behind Collings in the overall tally.

She was able to secure a solitary vote against Geelong Amateur to tie the voting after the home and away season.

Duke polled a 3, 2 or 1 vote in 12 games throughout the season, while Collings was adjudged in the top three players on the ground on 11 occasions out of 18 games.

The pair were both selected in the Team of the Year.

Joining them were goalers Carly Sanders (Newcomb), hotshot award winner Ruby Watson (Geelong Amateur), midcourters Georgia Duncan (Geelong Amateur), Lauren Berridge (Torquay), Emily Moroney (Ocean Grove), and defenders Keisha Guilmartin (Geelong Amateur) and Georgia Berry (Ocean Grove)

The Coaches Player of the Year was presented to Jessica Duke. The Rising Star of the Year was Louise Shaw from Geelong Amateur. The overall netball club champion was Geelong Amateur.

In other grades, Lauren Lapsey (Geelong Amateur) was the victor in the B Grade best and fairest, Emily Hoare (Portarlington) took out C Grade, Tine Birch (Ocean Grove) received the top honour in D Grade and Anabelle Sargeant (Ocean Grove) was E Grade winner.