BY NATHAN DOLE
Bears’ on-baller a runaway winner of Harding Medal
BEARS-LAGOON Serpentine’s Justin Laird has capped an outstanding season by claiming the Frank Harding Medal as senior footy fairest and best in the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL.
The Bears coach of the previous two seasons was a runaway winner of the league’s medal count held on Monday night.
The on-baller’s consistency was a key factor in his medal success and also in the Bears’ charge to a first semi-final.
Laird polled votes in 12 matches and finished on a tally of 28.
Joint runners-up were Pyramid Hill’s Ben Knight and Bridgewater’s Lachlan Sharp on 18 votes.
After starting with a three-game run of two votes, Laird was adjudged best on ground in the round six match against Calivil United.
He gained the maximum votes in the next round against Mitiamo.
By the halfway mark of calling of the cards Laird was on 14 votes.
The run to victory included three votes against Pyramid Hill in the 10th round; Mitiamo in round 16; and Maiden Gully YCW in the 17th.
Laird is the first player from the Bears to win the Harding Medal since Nathan McNally in 2006.
Other stars for the BLS to have earned the league’s top award are Ross Pointon, Dennis Kelly, Darren Featherby, Scott Niemann, Peter Hynes (twice), Leigh Gallagher, Robert Rothacker, Ron Ford (three times), and Bill Page.
In regards to this season, Knight and Sharp are still in the premiership race.
A Harding medallist and premiership winner when at Calivil United in 2017, Knight and his Bulldogs’ team-mates have won their way to the September 14 grand final.
The Bulldogs will tackle Marong or Bridgewater for premiership glory at Mitiamo’s John Forbes Oval.
Knight switched from the kennel at North Bendigo to join another at Pyramid Hill’s Mitchell Park this season.
In the Harding Medal race he earned maximum votes in five matches.
An assistant coach in his first season at Bridgewater, Sharp again passed a century of goals and will play a crucial role in this Saturday’s preliminary final against Marong at Inglewood’s Centre State Scaffolding Oval.
A Michelsen medallist in his time with Strathfieldsaye in the Bendigo FNL, Sharp was on 14 votes at the halfway mark of the Harding Medal award.
It was a one-two result for Marong in the race for the John Forbes Medal as fairest and best in the reserves competition.
Zack Turnbull polled 32 votes to claim the award which honours the legend from Mitiamo who did so much to promote the Loddon Valley FNL.
Tom Grant’s play helped Marong to a 15-1 run across the home-and-away and he earned 26 votes from the umpires.
Third placegetter was Calivil United’s Evan Ritchie on 21 votes.
After claiming the Stephen Dowling award as fairest and best in the under-18s, Brodie Wagner from East Loddon Rams is a win away from adding a premiership medal to this season’s tally.
Wagner polled 27 votes to be under-18s champion ahead of Marong’s Kane Harris, 23 votes; and Inglewood’s Tyler Murphy, 14 votes.
Preliminary final day on Saturday kicks off with the young guns from Marong and Inglewood in action.
Harris and Murphy will be among those fighting to gain a place in the grand final showdown with the Rams.
Leading votes for the Frank Harding Medal:
28 Justin Laird, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
18 Ben Knight, Pyramid Hill.
18 Lachlan Sharp, Bridgewater.
15 Farran Priest, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
14 Bailey George, Pyramid Hill.
14 Josh Worsley, Maiden Gully YCW.
13 Nathan Devanny, Marong.
12 Corey Gregg, Marong.
11 Tyler McLeod, Newbridge.
11 Kain Robins, Marong.
11 Josh Mellington, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
10 Zach Alford, Pyramid Hill.
10 Tyler Constable, Newbridge.
9 Jonty Davis, Marong.
9 Jack Neylon, Bridgewater.
9 Nathan Twigg, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
Leading votes for the John Forbes Medal, reserves:
32 Zack Turnbull, Marong.
26 Tom Grant, Marong.
21 Evan Ritchie, Calivil United.
13 Jack Lovett, Inglewood.
12 Jirah Dawkins, Newbridge.
11 Mitchell Dingwall, Pyramid Hill.
10 Samuel Gorrie, Inglewood.
9 Lachlan Murley, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
9 Sam Dewar, Bridgewater.
8 Nathan Moon, Pyramid Hill.
8 Thomas Clarke, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
7 Matthew Grant, Marong.
6 Nicholas Gray, Newbridge.
6 Tynan Hywood, Bridgewater.
6 Hamish Terry, Bridgewater.
Leading votes for the Stephen Dowling award, under-18s:
27 Brodie Wagner, East Loddon Rams.
23 Kane Harris, Marong.
14 Tyler Murphy, Inglewood.
11 Kepler Thomson, Marong.
10 Max Lowery, Marong.
9 Blake Gibson, Pyramid Hill.
9 Harrison Goodes, Pyramid Hill.
6 Sam McMahon, Bridgewater.
5 Evan McCoy, Inglewood.
5 Jack McMurray, Marong.
5 Noah Ramskill, East Loddon Rams.