PORT MacDonnell champion Will Macdonald is the sentimental favourite to win his fifth Mail Medal when Mid South East football and netball counts are held at the Millicent War Memorial Civic and Arts Centre this afternoon.
The ruckman and key position player became the first MSEFL player to win the Mail Medal four times back in 2015.
A veteran of 153 games with the Demons, Macdonald was also named as the best and fairest in the MSEFL competition in 2010, 2011 and 2013.
Injuries have hampered his career and 2017 has been no exception in that regard with the 195cm player sidelined for three games.
Nevertheless, Macdonald has been the stand-out player in a number of other games and could secure the medal in an even field.
Among his seaside team mates to challenge him for votes are fellow tall Daron McElroy, coach Ben MacGregor and newcomer Hamish Stevens.
Other past winners of the Mail Medal who are still playing in the MSEFL are reigning Mail Medallist Jack Casey (Kalangadoo), Adam Wiese (Mt Burr, 1995), Matt Faulkner (Hatherleigh, 2001), Ryan Dew (Robe, 2005), Brett Lindner (Nangwarry, 2007), Ben Mules (Kalangadoo, 2000) and Bronson Saffin (Kongorong, 2011).
Saffin is the main pre-count favourite owing to his eye-catching style of play and superb skills.
More than any other player, he is responsible for re-building the Hawks in 2017.
Robe coach Jack Kelly has had the same on-field impact with the Roosters and this would surely be recognised by the umpires.
Kelly is at a disadvantage as Mail Medal polling was not suspended when he played in Fremantle last month with the SA Country team.
Casey can be immediately discounted from Mail Medal calculations as he has played just two matches due to his move to Adelaide last summer to play with zone club Glenelg in the SANFL.
Wiese and Dew are also out of contention as they only played a handful of games in B Grade.
The outstanding on-field leadership of Mules has helped catapult his Magpies up to the top of the ladder and he has been handy in attack with 35 goals.
The chances of Mules winning second Mail Medal 16 years after his first will be dented by the likes of co-captain James Pratt, Mitch Lowe, Michael Krieger, Matt Fatchen and Brad Auld.
Lindner joined Kalangadoo from Penola this season but injury has kept him to only ten appearances.
Another ex-league medallist who has successfully transitioned from on-baller to forward has been Hatherleigh veteran Matt Faulkner.
With a career-high tally of 62 goals this season, he briefly shared the lead in the league goal scoring with eventual winner Mount Burr’s Jack Gregory.
The Eagles and the Magpies have dominated the minor round and will attract plenty of votes.
Other Hatherleigh players to feature in the polling will be on-ballers Gerard McGrath and Jack Sullivan and Murray South East representative Brad Wight.
The jungle drums are beating that ruckman Sam Waring will feature strongly in the voting.
Reigning premiers Mount Burr should also poll a healthy number of Mail Medal votes with the names of coach Tom Renzi, teenage ruckman Henry Crauford and Dylan Ridley in the mix.
It is three years since a Mozzie won a Mail Medal and that was Clint Gallio who now coaches Millicent.
Although it may not produce a Mail Medal winner, there are plenty in the MSEFL who believe the Mozzies will win the flag.
There are no Tantanoola players who have been outstanding in 2017 with the exceptions of rover Tom Holmes and recruit Garret Ha.
Both players have tried hard to encourage their young and inexperienced team mates.
Glencoe has one of the pre-count favourites in Zacc Cocks who is the reigning Walker Medallist.
He is the rookie coach of the side, spends all day on the ball, covers an enormous amount of ground and boots some handy goals.
In a disappointing year for the Murphies, Cocks has stood out with a mention in the best players on 15 occasions in 16 games as well as 24 goals and representative honours at two levels.
Only Dylan Childs, Matt Kasparian and Clay Von Duve might take significant votes from him.
Cocks was reappointed this week by the Murphies.
Nangwarry did not register a vote in 2016 but that situation will be rectified in 2017.
In his sole game, Saints recruit Russell Gabriel dominated in all four quarters in the home ground match against Glencoe on April 22 and received the Phil Muhovics Memorial Medal.
All will be revealed at the Mail Medal function on Sunday where sporting identity Frank Brennan will again be the master of ceremonies.
The senior football and netball presentations will be preceded in the morning by the underage awards ceremonies.
It is the rostered turn of the Hatherleigh sporting community to provide the catering at both functions.
