Jade Clay, the dynamic Glenorchy Knights midfielder, must be one of the favourites to win the 2009 Vic Tuting Silver Medal as the southern Premier League’s best and fairest player.
The winner will be announced at a function on Friday evening at the Tattersall’s Park Function Centre.
Clay had an outstanding season for the Knights, who finished third.
He might not have scored many goals, but he was unselfish in his distribution and made chances and goals for team-mates.
His speed troubled most teams and his reading of the game inspired the Knights to some excellent performances as he brought others into play.
Team-mates Amadu Koroma and Josh Fielding are also in the mix and should poll well.
Clarence striker Luke Cripps was the league’s leading marksman with 25 goals and represents a serious threat to Clay in the polling.
Ben Crosswell won last year’s award with 24 votes and was the leading scorer with 24 goals, but he is ineligible this year because he was sent off.
Kingborough Lions United defender Marc Iseli is the workhorse of his side and will have caught the eye of the referees, who allocate votes on a 3-2-1 basis after each game.
The three leading vote-getters for each club and who have, therefore, been invited, are: Luke Cripps, Ben Parker, Sam McIntyre (Clarence United), Jade Clay, Amadu Koroma, Josh Fielding (Glenorchy Knights), Michael Bulis, Dipendra Kunwar, Dmitri Nester (Hobart Olympic), Charles White, Ross Hinkley, Marc Iseli (Kingborough Lions United), Adam McKeown, Alex Gordon, Andrew Clark (New Town Eagles), Jonathon Ladic, Julius Ross, Liam Scott (South Hobart), Andrew Telega, Ryan Smith, Ricky Self (Hobart Zebras), Rory McCallum, Hamish Peacock, Richard Delara (University).
Spot on, both Clay and Cripps have had outstanding years. My smokey would be Adam McKeown. Always seems to poll well (was 4th last year from memory) and although he misses sitters, managed to score 11 or 12 goals this season.
ReplyDeleteGood point re Mckeown, could spring a surprise.
ReplyDeleteSome interesting selections by the refs.
Ladic only played half the year. could be miles in front when he leaves, can he hang on????
Ross spent most of the year on the pine!! i rate him and goes to show Kenny maybe should give him more opportunities...(he was amongst the best during the tas u/23 series 2 years ago)
My tips are Liam Scott and Luke Cripps. Scott very consistent and you cant ignore goals, even if they come from the penalty spot or 2m out!!
Ricky Self to finish top 3. had a great season.
Upton ineligible?? Him and crosser should poll well even if they cant win it.
Hunt unlucky to miss.
Would love to see Kenny's face when Brownie wins coach of the year!!!
I can see the ref of the year changing hands this time as well.
ReplyDeleteI think Upton will win the count comfortably. However, as he is not in the running it should fall to either self, cripps or clay.
ReplyDeleteprobably in that order. Rick has had a great year and deserves the medal.
the big threat will probably be cripps as we all know goals buy votes.
whether worthy or not he did have a great year and was very influential for clarence, as could probably be said about clay.
Interesting to see Bulis with virtually no mention. i think he will poll very well and possibly go close.
ReplyDeleteAlthough they didnt win many, pretty much every time they did he scored and was amoungst their best.
sheer weight of goals could see crips win but certainly no where near the best player in the league
Upton won't get any votes - he's too confronting to referees and as such, they wouldn't like him.
ReplyDeleteMcKeown will become a perennial bridesmaid - my tip.
Cripps for the award I reckon - people who score goals are just too hard to ignore - and this is why Jade Clay will miss out.
Would be interesting to see the ref of the year change hands - but who to??
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ReplyDeleteWalter... (or anyone else) do you have a list of previous Vic Tuting winners dating back???
ReplyDeleteI can only find one or two through FFT website.
Thanks in advance
Tom, here is the list (missing 1993 and 1996, and I think Tom Huigsloot won it in one of those years):
ReplyDeleteRothmans Gold Medal Winners
1971 John Kirkpatrick
1972 Karl Schwesinger
1973 Brian MacKay
1974 Billy Jones
1975 Dudley Hall
1976 Alistair Hales
1977 Danny Spendiff
1978 Larry Nunn
1979 Brian Davidson
1980 Brian Davidson
1981 Wolfgang Stuetzel
1982 Eric Young
1983 Liam Monagle
1984 Ian Parker
1985 Peter Sawdon
1986 Colin Guest
1987 Liam Monagle
1988 Peter Sawdon
Vic Tuting Silver Medal Winners
1989 Peter Savill
1990 Chris Barrell
1991 John ‘Snow’ Compagne
1992 David Stoddart
1993
1994/95 Craig Nichols
1996
1997 Brett Pullen
1998 Scott Hadley
1999 Julian Proud
2000 Brett Pullen
2001 Ben Harbinson
2002 Colin Shepherd
2003 Colin Shepherd
2004 Brett Pullen
2005 Tom Roach
2006 Tom Roach and Chris Sanita
2007 Bart Beecroft
2008 Ben Crosswell