BY NATHAN DOLE
Tupper marks top season at Castlemaine
A FIRST-YEAR player at Castlemaine, Maeve Tupper has earned the Champions IGA-backed CVFL senior women’s footy fairest and best award for the 2024 season.
Tupper polled 25 votes in Monday night’s calling of cards to finish three clear of joint runners-up, Eaglehawk co-coach Molly Metcalf and Golden Square captain Liz Watkins.
A key player in Castlemaine’s unbeaten run as it chases a premiership hat-trick, Tupper polled votes in 12 of 16 matches.
Her victory was declared by AFL CV Region Council Chari, Nicholas Falconer.
A great season for Tupper included being selected as rover in the High Street X-ray Team of the Year.
This Friday night, Tupper and her team-mates from the Jordan Cochrane-coached Magpies will play in the grand final from 7.30pm at Queen Elizabeth Oval in Bendigo.
The Magpies are up against the Nathan Manuel-coached Golden Square.
Leading goalkicker in the senior women’s competition was Golden Square’s Paynton Jolliffe.
A tally of 90 was a league record and included 13-goal hauls in rounds 12 and 15 against North Bendigo and White Hills respectively.
The goalkicking award was presented by La Trobe Bendigo Pioneers girls coach Whitney Kennedy.
It was tie for the CVFL’s under-18 girls fairest and best award.
After the final card was called, Strathfieldsaye’s Alysha Boyd and Castlemaine’s Chloe Butcher were locked on 18 votes.
A run of votes in eight matches for Butcher included the maximum three in five games for the Magpies.
Boyd was adjudged best afield in five of Storm’s matches and gained votes in seven games.
The medals were presented by Nicholas Falconer, chair of the AFL Central Victoria Region Council.
Third placegetter in the medal race, Mia Clark from Winslow White Hills Demons kicked 33 goals to earn the goalkicking award presented by Whitney Kennedy from La Trobe University Bendigo Pioneers.
Highs of Clark’s season included six goals in matches against Strathfieldsaye and Woorinen.
Clark will play a crucial role as White Hills takes on Golden Square in this Friday night’s grand final at Queen Elizabeth Oval in View Street.
The showdown between the Demons and Bulldogs starts at 5.30pm.
CVFL league manager Nathan Williams said the under-18s grand final would cap a successful first year of the competition being run under the CVFL banner.
“The CVFL thanks all at Bendigo Junior Football League for the smooth transition.” said Williams.
On-field there were 10 clubs represented across two competitions.
There were nine teams in the seniors and seven in the under-18s.
Newcomers to the league were Marong FNC, Sandhurst FNC, and White Hills JFC.
“All three clubs have done a fantastic job in their start up,” said Williams.
The league boss also congratulated clubs, players, coaches, officials, volunteers, umpires and supporters for all they had done across the season.
There were 126 matches played across 18 rounds.
Williams said 439 players competed in the CVFL this season.
He also thanked CVFL Advisory Committee members Margaret O’Rourke, Emma Grant, Colleen Rogers, Carol Cathcart and Gavin Hore.
The league major partners in Champions IGA, High Street X-Ray and The Bendigo Club are strong supporters of female football in the region.
Leading votes for the CVFL senior women’s footy fairest and best award:
25 Maeve Tupper, Castlemaine.
22 Molly Metcalf, Eaglehawk.
22 Liz Watkins, Golden Square.
17 Katelyn Hazlett, Woorinen.
16 Aisling Tupper, Castlemaine.
15 Piper Dunlop, Sandhurst.
14 Tenay Fellows, Woorinen.
14 Shae-Lee Murphy-Burke, Bendigo Thunder.
13 Amanda Carrod, Sandhurst.
13 Taylah Moore, Golden Square.
13 Victoria Winstanley, Golden Square.
12 Ruby Campbell, Sandhurst.
12 Rachael Stubbings, Castlemaine.
12 Courtney Wakefield, Woorinen.
10 Molly Pianta, Eaglehawk.
9 Paynton Jolliffe, Golden Square.
9 Lexie Moss, Eaglehawk.
8 Isabella Ayre, Golden Square.
8 Dani Jeffery, Marong.
7 Lily Campbell, Sandhurst.
7 Jemma Finning, Castlemaine.
Leading votes for the under-18 girls fairest and best award:
18 Alysha Boyd, Strathfieldsaye.
18 Chloe Butcher, Castlemaine.
14 Mia Clark, White Hills.
12 Ava Barker, Golden Square.
11 Lily Mansfield, Golden Square.
11 Jorja Morrison, White Hills.
10 Hannah Cochrane, Sandhurst.
10 Eva Coffey, Woorinen.
10 Amelie Haigh, White Hills.
9 Gemma McPhee, Golden Square.
9 OIivia Muscat, Castlemaine.
9 Nevaeh Roberts, Woorinen.
9 Meg Young, Woorinen.
8 Issy Boulton, Woorinen.
8 Scarlett Ward, Strathfieldsaye.
7 Tessa Skipper, Strathfieldsaye.
Nathan Williams, league manager
A highlight of awards night was the naming of the High Street X-Ray Teams of the Year.
Selection criteria included votes gained in league fairest and best, amount of times in best club, number of matches played, and consideration of the player of the week award.
All nine clubs in the senior competition feature in Team of the Year selection.
The seniors team of the year:
B: Greta Murphy (BT), Taylah Moore (GS), Lily Campbell (Sh).
Hb: Liz Watkins (GS), Kira Gibbons (NB), Rachael Stubbings (Cm).
C: Jemma Finning (Cm), Ruby Campbell (Sh), Lucy El Hage (BT).
Hf: Jaime Sawers (BT), Molly Metcalf (Eh), Brydi Lewis (W).
F: Victoria Winstanley (GS), Paynton Jolliffe (GS), Amanda Carrod (Sh).
Foll: Piper Dunlop (Sh), Katelyn Hazlett (W), Maeve Tupper (Cm).
Inter: Dani Jeffery (M), Tenay Fellows (W), Molly Pianta (Eh), Oakley Turner (WH).
Club legend – BT Bendigo Thunder, Cm Castlemaine, Eh Eaglehawk, GS Golden Square, M Marong, NB North Bendigo, Sh Sandhurst, WH White Hills, W Woorinen.
Under-18s Team of the Year:
B: Maddie Dunn (S), Jayda Mathews-Shanley (Eh), Lori Whaley (Cm).
Hb: Jorja Morrison (WH), Chloe Butcher (Cm), Sopie Ryan (S).
C: Meg Young (W), Lily Mansfield (GS), Makayla Roberts (GS).
Hf: Alysha Boyd (S), Hannah Cochrane (Sh), Amelie Haigh (WH).
F: Scarlett Ward (S), Leni Brown (Sh), Ella Gourley (GS).
Foll: Gemma McPhee (GS), Ava Barker (GS), Mia Clark (WH).
Inter: Eva Coffey (W), Evie Nuttall (S), Emilie Ward (W), Olivia Muscat (Cm).
Club legend – Cm Castlemaine, Eh Eaglehawk, GS Golden Square, Sh Sandhurst, S Strathfieldsaye, WH White Hills, W Woorinen.