BY NATHAN DOLE
GRAND finalists Gisborne and Sandhurst led the voting tallies for this year’s Michelsen Medal in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL senior footy fairest and best award.
It was a dramatic finish to calling of votes cast by umpires across the 18-round home-and-away series.
The Gisborne tally of 77 was led by joint winners Brad Bernacki and Braidon Blake on 20 votes, as on-baller Flynn Lakey polled 18 votes to be runner-up.
Completing the medal trifecta was Sandhurst captain and on-baller/mid Lachlan Tardrew on 20 votes.
Sandhurst’s tally of 74 votes in the medal race included 12 for Fergus Greene who kicked 80 goals to claim the Ron Best Medal.
A group of 15 Dragons featured in Michelsen Medal voting.
Leading vote-getters from Golden Square were Jordan Rosengren and Ricky Monti on 12 and 11.
Eaglehawk’s tally of 56 votes was led by Billy Evans on 17, ruckman Brayden Frost and on-baller Ben Thompson with nine each.
A consistent workload by Strathfieldsaye Storm was shown by a group of 11 polling votes.
Best for Strathfieldsaye were Lachlan Gill on 10; Daniel Clohesy, eight; and Riley Wilson, seven.
The play of Castlemaine’s Bailey Henderson and Kalan Huntly in the Magpies’ flight to a sixth-place finish meant they lead the team’s tally on 14 and 13 votes.
A first-year player at Kangaroo Flat, Luke Ellings polled nine votes from a wing.
On-ballers Anthony Zimmerman and Brody Haddow were South Bendigo’s highest vote-getters on nine and seven.
Maryborough’s tally was led by key defender Kya Lanfranchi.
Round 1
Kangaroo Flat 29 lt Sandhurst 171
3 Lachlan Tardrew, Sh (3)
2 Noah Walsh, Sh (2)
1 Cobi Maxted, Sh (1)
Castlemaine 131 d Maryborough 62
3 Bailey Henderson, Cm (3)
2 Michael Hartley, Cm (2)
1 Bailey Edwards, Mb (1)
Strathfieldsaye 96 d South Bendigo 68
3 Riley Wilson, S’saye (3)
2 Daniel Clohesy, S’saye (2)
1 Brody Haddow, SB (1)
Eaglehawk 78 d Golden Square 59
3 Brayden Frost, Eh (3)
2 Joel Mullen, Eh (2)
1 Jordan Rosengren, GS (1)
Gisborne bye
Round two
Sandhurst 88 d Gisborne 73
3 Flynn Lakey, Gis. (3)
2 Braidon Blake, Gis. (2)
1 Joel Wharton, Sh (1)
Maryborough 78 d Kangaroo Flat 133
3 Toby Roberts, KF (3)
2 Kyle Symons, KF (2)
1 Ethan Roberts, KF (1)
South Bendigo 132 d Castlemaine 90
3 Anthony Zimmerman, SB (3)
2 Brock Harvey, SB (2)
1 Kalan Huntly, Cm (1)
Golden Square 49 lt Strathfieldsaye 77
3 Cooper Jones, S’saye (3)
2 Kai Daniels, GS (2)
1 James Schischka, S’saye (1)
Round three
Gisborne 273 d Maryborough 15
3 Brad Bernacki, Gis. (3)
2 Braidon Blake, Gis. (4)
1 Jackson Cardillo, Gis. (1)
Kangaroo Flat 121 d South Bendigo 94
3 :Luke Ellings, KF (3)
2 Justin Bateson, KF (2)
1 Brock Harvey, SB (3)
Castlemaine 66 lt Golden Square 78
3 Jordan Rosengren, GS (4)
2 Jayden Burke, GS (2)
1 Kalen Huntly, Cm (2)
Strathfieldsaye 71 d Eaglehawk 62
3 Malik Gordon, S’saye (3)
2 Lachlan Gill, S’saye (2)
1 Joel Mullen, Eh (3)
Round four
South Bendigo 31 lt Gisborne 180
3 Flynn Lakey, Gis. (6)
2 Braidon Blake, Gis. (6)
1 Brad Bernacki, Gis. (4)
Golden Square 106 d Kangaroo Flat 29
3 Ricky Monti, GS (3)
2 Luke Ellings, KF (5)
1 Jayden Burke, GS (3)
Eaglehawk 88 d Castlemaine 46
3 Billy Evans, Eh (3)
2 Kalan Huntly, Cm (4)
1 Kallen Geary, Eh (1)
Maryborough 14 lt Sandhurst 347
3 Noah Walsh, Sh (5)
2 Lachlan Tardrew, Sh (5)
1 Lachlan Wright, Sh (1)
Round five
Gisborne 104 d Golden Square 56
3 Brad Bernacki, Gis. (7)
2 Braidon Blake, Gis. (8)
1 Flynn Lakey, Gis. (7)
Kangaroo Flat 51 lt Eaglehawk 102
3 Billy Evans, Eh (6)
2 Brayden Frost, Eh (5)
1 Jack Lefroy, KF (1)
Castlemaine 58 lt Strathfieldsaye 87
3 Riley Wilson, S’saye (6)
2 Brodie Byrne, Cm (2)
1 Caleb Sheahan, S’saye (1)
Sandhurst 167 d South Bendigo 30
3 Nick Stagg, Sh (3)
2 Fergus Greene, Sh (2)
1 Lachlan Tardrew, Sh (6)
Round six
Eaglehawk 63 lt Gisborne 97
3 Brad Bernacki, Gis. (10)
2 Braidon Blake, Gis. (10)
1 Flynn Lakey, Gis. (8)
Strathfieldsaye 119 d Kangaroo Flat 36
3 Daniel Clohesy, S’saye (5)
2 Luke Ellings, KF (7)
1 Malik Gordon, S’saye (4)
South Bendigo 201 d Maryborough 17
3 Brody Haddow, SB (4)
2 Isaiah Miller, SB (2)
1 Zaydyn Lockwood, SB (1)
Golden Square 48 lt Sandhurst 102
3 James Coghlan, Sh (3)
2 Jordan Rosengren, GS (6)
1 Hugh Freckelton, GS (1)
Round seven
Gisborne 110 d Strathfieldsaye 82
3 Braidon Blake, Gis. (13)
2 Jack Scanlon, Gis. (2)
1 Daniel Clohesy, S’saye (6)
Kangaroo Flat 64 lt Castlemaine 107
3 Kalan Huntly, Cm (7)
2 Michael Hartley, Cm (4)
1 Bailey Henderson, Cm (4)
Sandhurst 112 d Eaglehawk 40
3 Lachlan Tardrew, Sh (9)
2 Lachlan Wright, Sh (3)
1 Connor Sexton, Sh (1)
Maryborough 22 lt Golden Square 180
3 Tom Strauch, GS (3)
2 Zac Wescott, GS (2)
1 Jordan Rosengren, GS (7)
Round eight
Strathfieldsaye 91 lt Sandhurst 116
3 Fergus Greene, Sh (5)
2 Cobi Maxted, Sh (3)
1 Cooper Jones, S’saye (4)
Eaglehawk 189 d Maryborough 1
3 Billy Evans, Eh (9)
2 Sam Thompson, Eh (2)
1 Jack Thompson, Eh (1)
Castlemaine 58 lt Gisborne 99
3 Braidon Blake, Gis. (16)
2 Matt Filo, Cm (2)
1 Brad Bernacki, Gis. (11)
Golden Square 98 d South Bendigo 66
3 Ricky Monti, GS (6)
2 Anthony Zimmerman, SB (5)
1 Jordan Rosengren, GS (8)
Round nine
Maryborough 8 lt Strathfieldsaye 234
3 Kya Lanfranchi, Mb (3)
2 Lachlan Gill, S’saye (4)
1 James Schischka, S’saye (2)
Sandhurst 100 d Castlemaine 49
3 Bailey Henderson, Cm (7)
2 Fergus Greene, Sh (7)
1 Alex Wharton, Sh (1)
South Bendigo 50 lt Eaglehawk 106
3 Bailey Ilsley, Eh (3)
2 Joel Mullen, Eh (5)
1 Marcus Angove, Eh (1)
Gisborne 99 d Kangaroo Flat 51
3 Flynn Lakey, Gis. (11)
2 Brad Bernacki, Gis. (13)
1 Jack Lefroy, KF (2)
Round 10
South Bendigo 56 lt Strathfieldsaye 138
3 Caleb Ernst, S’saye (3)
2 James Schischka, S’saye (4)
1 Anthony Zimmerman, SB (6)
Maryborough 29 lt Castlemaine 176
3 Ryan Eyre, Cm (3)
2 Michael Hartley, Cm (6)
1 Bailey Henderson, Cm (8)
Sandhurst 152 d Kangaroo Flat 38
3 Lachlan Tardrew, Sh (12)
2 Cobi Maxted, Sh (5)
1 Jake McLean, Sh (1)
Golden Square 59 d Eaglehawk 45
3 Macey Eaton, GS (3)
2 Sam Thompson, Eh (4)
1 Kai Daniels, GS (3)
Round 11
Kangaroo Flat 126 d Maryborough 48
3 Jack Lefroy, KF (5)
2 Josh Halsall, KF (2)
1 Coby Perry, Mb (1)
Castlemaine 92 d South Bendigo 30
3 Brodie Byrne, Cm (5)
2 Lloyd Butcher, Cm (2)
1 Kalan Huntly, Cm (8)
Strathfieldsaye 63 d Golden Square 40
3 Melvic Pambai, GS (3)
2 Jed Daniels, S’saye (2)
1 Daniel Clohesy, S’saye (7)
Gisborne 73 d Sandhurst 67
3 James Coghlan, Sh (6)
2 Brad Bernacki, Gis. (15)
1 Patrick Trotta, Gis. (1)
Round 12
South Bendigo 113 d Kangaroo Flat 106
3 Anthony Zimmerman, SB (9)
2 Luke Ellings, KF (9)
1 Zaydyn Lockwood, SB (2)
Golden Square 120 d Castlemaine 49
3 Ricky Monti, GS (9)
2 Kai Daniels, GS (5)
1 Jayden Burke, GS (4)
Eaglehawk 111 d Strathfieldsaye 51
3 Billy Evans, Eh (12)
2 Brayden Frost, Eh (7)
1 Charlie Langford, Eh (1)
Maryborough 51 lt Gisborne 169
3 Ryan Bourke, Gis. (3)
2 Flynn Lakey, Gis. (13)
1 Coby Perry, Mb (2)
Round 13
Kangaroo Flat 33 lt Golden Square 143
3 Kai Daniels, GS (8)
2 Jordan Rosengren, GS (10)
1 Tom Toma, GS (1)
Castlemaine 33 d Eaglehawk 31
3 Ben Thompson, Eh (3)
2 Bailey Henderson, Cm (10)
1 Jack Chester, Cm (1)
Sandhurst 201 d Maryborough 8
3 Lachlan Tardrew, Sh (15)
2 Ollie Hannaford, Sh (2)
1 Cobi Maxted, Sh (6)
Gisborne 153 d South Bendigo 26
3 Macklan Lord, Gis. (3)
2 Shane Clough, Gis. (2)
1 Ryan Bourke, Gis. (4)
Round 14
Eaglehawk 136 d Kangaroo Flat 34
3 Billy Evans, Eh (15)
2 Brayden Frost, Eh (9)
1 Kallen Geary, Eh (2)
Strathfieldsaye 45 lt Castlemaine 68
3 Kalan Huntly, Cm (11)
2 Zavier Murley, Cm (2)
1 Cooper Jones, S’saye (5)
South Bendigo 18 lt Sandhurst 150
3 Zach Pallpratt, Sh (3)
2 Nick Stagg, Sh (5)
1 Matt Wilkinson, Sh (1)
Golden Square 75 lt Gisborne 94
3 Brad Bernacki, Gis. (18)
2 Ricky Monti, GS (11)
1 Jack Scanlon, Gis. (3)
Round 15
Kangaroo Flat 50 lt Strathfieldsaye 141
3 Lachlan Gill, S’saye (7)
2 Caleb Sheahan, S’saye (3)
1 Riley Wilson, S’saye (7)
Maryborough 48 lt South Bendigo 203
3 Brody Haddow, SB (7)
2 Brock Harvey, SB (5)
1 Steven Stroobants, SB (1)
Sandhurst 68 lt Golden Square 89
3 Tom Toma, GS (4)
2 Jack Stewart, GS (2)
1 Nick Stagg, Sh (6)
Gisborne 126 d Eaglehawk 74
3 Braidon Blake, Gis. (19)
2 Flynn Lakey, Gis. (15)
1 Joel Mullen, Eh (6)
Round 16
Castlemaine 150 d Kangaroo Flat 61
3 Bailey Henderson, Cm (13)
2 Kalan Huntly, Cm (13)
1 Zavier Murley, Cm (3)
Golden Square 194 d Maryborough 6
3 Tom Toma, GS (7)
2 Terence Reeves, GS (2)
1 Jordan Rosengren, GS (11)
Eaglehawk 48 lt Sandhurst 114
3 Fergus Greene, Sh (10)
2 Cobi Maxted, Sh (8)
1 Caleb Connick, Sh (1)
Strathfieldsaye 92 d Gisborne 69
3 Tim Hosking, S’saye (3)
2 Bode Stevens, S’saye (2)
1 Daniel Clohesy, S’saye (8)
Round 17
Maryborough 14 lt Eaglehawk 95
3 Ben Thompson, Eh (6)
2 Bailey Ilsley, Eh (5)
1 Josh Britten, Mb (1)
South Bendigo 51 lt Golden Square 129
3 Zack Shelton, GS (3)
2 Tom Toma, GS (9)
1 Jordan Rosengren, GS (12)
Sandhurst 62 d Strathfieldsaye 32
3 Caleb Connick, Sh (4)
2 Lachlan Tardrew, Sh (17)
1 Tim Hosking, S’saye (4)
Gisborne 92 d Castlemaine 39
3 Flynn Lakey, Gis. (18)
2 Zachary Vescovi, Gis. (2)
1 Bailey Henderson, Cm (14)
Round 18
Strathfieldsaye 177 d Maryborough 14
3 Lachlan Gill, S’saye (10)
2 Caleb Sheahan, S’saye (5)
1 Kya Lanfranchi, Mb (4)
Eaglehawk 137 d South Bendigo 85
3 Ben Thompson, Eh (9)
2 Billy Evans, Eh (17)
1 Kallen Geary, Eh (3)
Castlemaine 64 lt Sandhurst 115
3 Lachlan Tardrew, Sh (20)
2 Fergus Greene, Sh (12)
1 John Watson, Cm (1)
Kangaroo Flat 39 lt Gisborne 236
3 Pat McKenna, Gis. (3)
2 Brad Bernacki, Gis. (20)
1 Braidon Blake, Gis. (20)
Rundown of club-by-club voting for the Michelsen Medal:
Castlemaine:
14 Bailey Henderson; 13 Kalan Huntly; 6 Michael Hartley; 5 Brodie Byrne; 3 Ryan Eyre, Zavier Murley; 2 Lloyd Butcher, Matt Filo; 1 Jack Chester, John Watson.
Eaglehawk:
17 Billy Evans; 9 Brayden Frost, Ben Thompson; 6 Joel Mullen; 5 Bailey Ilsley; 4 Sam Thompson; 3 Kallen Geary; 1 Marcus Angove, Charlie Langford, Jack Thompson.
Gisborne:
20 Brad Bernacki, Braidon Blake; 18 Flynn Lakey; 4 Ryan Bourke; 3 Macklan Lord, Pat McKenna, Jack Scanlon; 2 Shane Clough, Zac Vescovi; 1 Jackson Cardillo, Patrick Trotta.
Golden Square:
12 Jordan Rosengren; 11 Ricky Monti; 9 Tom Toma; 8 Kai Daniels; 4 Jayden Burke; 3 Macey Eaton, Melvic Pambai, Zack Shelton, Tom Strauch; 2 Terence Reeves, Jack Stewart, Zac Wescott; 1 Hugh Freckleton.
Kangaroo Flat:
9 Luke Ellings; 5 Jack Lefroy; 3 Toby Roberts; 2 Justin Bateson, Josh Halsall, Kyle Symons; 1 Ethan Roberts.
Maryborough:
4 Kya Lanfranchi; 2 Coby Perry; 1 Josh Britten, Bailey Edwards.
Sandhurst:
20 Lachlan Tardrew; 12 Fergus Greene; 8 Cobi Maxted; 6 James Coghlan, Nick Stagg; 5 Noah Walsh; 4 Caleb Connick; 3 Zach Pallpratt, Lachlan Wright; 2 Ollie Hannaford; 1 Jake McLean, Connor Sexton, Alex Wharton, Joel Wharton, Matt Wilkinson.
South Bendigo:
9 Anthony Zimmerman; 7 Brody Haddow; 5 Brock Harvey; 2 Zaydyn Lockwood, Isaiah Miller; 1 Steven Stroobants.
Strathfieldsaye:
10 Lachlan Gill; 8 Daniel Clohesy; 7 Riley Wilson; 5 Cooper Jones, Caleb Sheahan; 4 Malik Gordon, Tim Hosking, James Schischka; 3 Caleb Ernst; Jed Daniels, Bode Stevens.