Medal a shock, but now Jarrod wants a flag

WHEN Huonville’s Callum Rawson received two votes in the last round of the SFL home-and-away season, teammate Jarrod Lawler felt he was a chance to be judged best afield by the umpires.

But even then he didn’t dare dream it would eventually lead to him being crowned the William Leitch medallist as the competition’s best and fairest in 2018. Lawler’s best-on-ground effort against Dodges Ferry saw him pip New Norfolk’s Mark Horne by one vote to win the medal with 23, with Claremont’s Martyn Allison and Hobart’s Luke Sullivan tied for third two votes back.

“I knew I played OK, a teammate of mine Callum Rawson was probably a bit stiff to not get three but when he polled the two I thought I might be a sniff for the three,” Lawler said of Monday night’s thrilling finale. “I got a bit nervous but was pretty happy to get the three in the last match.

“I always thought Marty Allison would win it to be honest, I knew I had a pretty decent year but wasn’t expecting it. It’s a bit overwhelming to be honest and I’m very humbled.”

A product of the Kingborough junior system, Lawler switched his attention to basketball for seven years before returning to football, spending three seasons with Channel in the Old Scholars then playing one TSL season with the Tigers.

Last year he joined some mates at the Lions, and after capping a stellar individual campaign he is now hoping to add a premiership medal in Saturday’s grand final against Lindisfarne.

“I would definitely get rid of this one if it means we can get the premiership medallion,” he said.

“We were stoked straight after the game [the preliminary final against Claremont], we were the underdogs going into the game but everything fell together and we played our best game of the year.

“We celebrated for half an hour … then turned our focus straight to Lindisfarne.”