Hatherleigh skipper Joe Ferguson-Lane is the toast of the Mid South Eastern Football League following his Mail Medal win announced at Millicent on Sunday afternoon.
His tally of 27 votes was 12 more than Glencoe skipper Dylan Childs who was awarded the Walker Medal in a tight field.
According to the pundits, this pair had been in contention for the league trophy which is awarded to the fairest and most brilliant player in the competition.
Both are high possession winners, possess a strong work ethic and are always in the umpire’s eye.
After premiership success with his home club of West Gambier, Ferguson-Lane joined the Eagles for the 2013 season and it ended with another grand final victory.
As well as captaining the Eagles this season, the barrel-chested key position player is also the joint assistant coach.
Ferguson-Lane had to miss one game last month because of COVID-required quarantine requirements.
Sunday was one of the highlights of the season for the Mid SE football and netball fraternity with the announcement of awards across all grades.
Mount Burr’s Heidi Clark (pictured right) won the Mid SE Netball A Grade Best and Fairest trophy and the runner-up was Kalangadoo’s Abbey Duncan.
Among the 20 football and netball presentations, there were two of special significance to the Mount Burr United Football Club.
The family of the late Robert Grosser accepted a replica of the l966 MSEFL Carthew Medal which he had won as the best and fairest player in the B Grade competition in that season.
The medal was destroyed in the tragic house fire at his Mount Burr home in 2019 which also claimed his life.
Mr Grosser had been a popular figure in the town and was a member of Mount Burr’s breakthrough premiership team in 1959.
The other special prize was much happier for supporters of the Mozzies as Kallan Bevan became the youngest-ever winner of the Radio Triple M “Farmer” Phil Scanlon Memorial Rookie of the Year.
Bevan made his senior debut at the age of 14 in the season opener at Kongorong in April and was a vital contributor in A Grade thereafter.
It has been awarded for the past 15 seasons and honours the memory of the one-time East Gambier champion and coach of Hatherleigh, Glencoe and Nangwarry.
It was presented by his long-time WBFL Bulldogs teammate Gorden “Milo” Milosevic who has been the radio station’s sports coordinator for around 30 years.
MSEFL player life memberships were awarded to Nangwarry’s Ben Dinnison and Kongorong’s John Simkin.
The Carthew Medal for B Grade Best and Fairest was won by Jacob Gregory of Mount Burr while the MSEFL coach of the year was Kalangadoo newcomer Kevin Stark.
For the 13th time, former Wattle Range Council chief executive Frank Brennan was master of ceremonies at the annual Mail Medal count.
The gala function was held at the Millicent War Memorial Civic and Arts Centre.
The host club was the Nangwarry Football Club and Saints president Shane Ploenges welcomed the 150 in attendance.
Numbers in attendance were about 50% below the usual number as required by COVID rules.
Earlier in the day, the trophy winners in junior netball/football Mid SE grades were presented.
The attention of the Mid SE players and supporters now turns to the second semi final at Glencoe on Saturday.
A full photo gallery of the winners will be inside the Mid South East budget in Thursday’s edition of The SE Voice.
