Tanner takes award

DUAL sports prospect Tanner Bruhn has won the Geelong Advertiser Junior Sports Star of the Year Award.

The football and cricket prodigy edged out an outstanding field of shortlisted nominees to win the award at last night’s Barwon Sports Academy dinner at GMHBA Stadium.

Tanner (pictured) has spent the year juggling the two sports, achieving high-level success at state and national level in both.

In footy, he was judged Vic Country’s MVP at the under16 national carnival and went on to make the All-Australian team, before also being named MVP at the under-15 V/Line Cup. He made his debut for the Geelong Falcons this year as an under-16 player — one of only three players in the club’s TAC Cup history to do so.

In cricket, he captained the Barwon Rockets’ under-16 team and earned Vic Country selection, playing a key role with bat and ball, having also made his senior first XI debut for North Geelong as a 15year-old.

Geelong Advertiser sports editor Nick Wade said Tanner’s ability to play two sports simultaneously at a high level appealed to the judging panel.

“Tanner is someone we believe we will be writing about for a very long time — whichever sport he chooses to pursue professionally when he gets older,” Wade said.

Other athletes shorlisted for the award were Emma Walters (Australian junior netball prospect); Madison Cooper (record-breaking local swimmer); Conall Green (national sailor); Ethan Grills (gold medal-winning national steeplechaser); Anthony Leban (Australian under-17 soccer squad member) and Chloe Saliaris (high-achieving gymnast).

“The quality of applications this year was the best it’s ever been,” Wade said. “To narrow it down to seven was a hard task, then to find a winner was even harder.

“It has been great to tell their stories and celebrate their achievements over the past week.” Tanner will also receive $300 from the Geelong Advertiser.