PORT MacDonnell ruckman Daron McElroy won his first Mail Medal and netballers Abbey Duncan (Kalangadoo) and Laura Schultz (Mount Burr) are the toast of the Mid South East football and netball fraternity after claiming the top league honours at the annual presentation function in Millicent on Sunday afternoon,
Duncan and Schultz tied for the A Grade best and fairest prize and edged out Kalangadoo’s Melissa Russell, who was not far away from her fourth league honour.
McElroy’s tally of 32 votes was 12 more than Walker Medallist and Robe vice-captain Jonny Agnew, who achieved a career high voting tally.
It was the greatest winning margin since 1961 and only the sixth time since 1947 that a MSEFL Mail Medallist had polled more than 30 votes.
Third place went to reigning Mail medallist and Glencoe coach Zacc Cocks.
Coming into the count, The South Eastern Times had named the star Demon as the likely Mail Medal winner.
McElroy began his underage football at East Gambier, had a stint at Kongorong and then enjoyed success at senior level with West Gambier and Port MacDonnell.
Speaking on stage, McElroy acknowledged the support of his family and clubmates at the Bay, spoke in admiration of AFL ruckman Paddy Ryder and expressed a desire to play at a higher level.
“It was good playing at West with guys like Brad Wilson, Luke Davey and Tom Holmes who had been playing in the SANFL,” McElroy said.
“My Port Mac coach Ben McGregor also got right behind me.”
For good measure, McElroy also claimed the most valuable player award as voted on by the opposition clubs.
The Millicent War Memorial Civic and Arts Centre became a sea of red-and-white as the Robe Football Club scooped the prize pool in many individual and club categories.
Jack Kelly was chosen as the senior coach of the year, Jake Wehl was named as the winner of the Bill Hanel Memorial Under 21 Award and the A Grade leading goal kicker was Jake Pitt.
Other football winners were Kongorong’s Brad Cordy who won his second Carthew Medal as the best and fairest in the Reserves competition.
Radio Triple M representative Gorden Milosevic presented the “Farmer” Phil Scanlon Memorial Rookie of the Year award to Corey Gamble, of the Mount Burr United Football Club.
The new additions to the ranks of MSEFL player life members were Kalangadoo coach Chris Mules and Mount Burr’s Dale Bowering.
Bowering sets a new club record of senior games for the Mozzies on Saturday.
The inaugural winner of the Klas bilt best backman award was Paul Ellis, of Kongorong.
Kalangadoo was named as the netball club of the year.
For the 11th consecutive year, former Wattle Range Council chief executive Frank Brennan was the master of ceremonies at the 3.5 hour long function attended by a gathering of 300.
The host club was the Kongorong Football Club which also catered for the junior football and netball awards at the venue on Sunday morning.
A collection at the door was taken to benefit the Buy-a-Bale drought relief appeal staged by the Tantanoola Primary School.
The attention of the Mid South East fraternity now turns to the second semi finals at Kalangadoo on Saturday.
