Ponting surprised at medal triumph
MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2019 themercury.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS 1300 696 397 HE won the TSL’s top award for the second year in a row, but North Launceston’s midfield star Josh Ponting arrived at Saturday night’s Alastair Lynch Medal count expecting his captain Brad Cox-Goodyer to claim it.
Ponting polled 23 votes in a three-way thriller, with Launceston’s on-ball “bull” Jobi Harper and talented Tiger Kieran Lovell both polling 21.
“It’s a massive achievement for me, but I rolled into the night expecting Brad to win it,” Ponting said. “Brad had a fantastic year and he was my tip.
“Individual achievements are probably something I’ll look back on at the end of my career and think they’re a good achievement, but we rock up to the football club wanting to win premierships. We won the premiership this year, and that’s my goal, to win premierships and play with my mates. Individual awards are not the end goal for me.”
Ponting could not split his Lynch Medal-winning form from last year and this season.
“I base my performances on consistency,” he said.
“I roll up every week and give my best, that’s all I can do.
“And at the end of the day if we get a win, that’s all I care about.”
Not only did Ponting play in North Launceston’s fifth premiership in six years when the Northern Bombers beat Lauderdale in the grand final, he also won the Baldock Medal as best afield.
“It has been a good couple of weeks for me,” Ponting said.
Launceston star and North Melbourne AFLW player Daria Bannister was a clear winner in the TSLW best and fairest, earning 27 votes, with Maggie Cuthbertson (North Launceston) the best of the rest on 16 votes followedollowed by Elise Barwick (Glenorchy) enorchy) on 15 and Brieannana Bar-Barwick (Glenorchy) 14.
“I was surprisedd to win considering the he amount of talent in n this competition, , so I am honoured to receive the award,” Bannister said.
Launceston’s only loss for the season was to Clarence in the grand final.
“Going through h the home-and-away ay season undefeated ated was a great achieveievement, but you don’tn’t get everything you want. Winning a premiership remiership would have been nice, so we’ll look to do thatt in 2020,” Bannister said.