Night of nights
From back page Officials announced several other major netball and football awards during the night, including a netball life-membership for long-time Warracknabeal, Warrack Eagles, Wimmera and regional coach and official Donna Mckenzie.
In a tribute to the past, football officials also elevated one of Wimmera league’s most celebrated footballers, Arnie Mcintyre, who won three Toohey trophies from 1948 to 1950, to Legend status.
Minyip-murtoa club’s best and fairest medal is named in honour of Mcintyre and president Andrew Delahunty accepted the award.
“Arnie was a great of the game – at a time when the game was huge in the Wimmera,” he said.
Wimmera netball’s volunteer of the year went to Colleen Matthews of Stawell.
Wimmera Mallee Coaches Association used the occasion to announced Horsham Saints’ Mat Taylor as youth coach of the year for his efforts with the Saints’ girls team, Minyip-murtoa’s Tony Baker as administrator of the year and Horsham’s Rod Dumesny as recipient of a distinguished service award. The presentation night also featured football reserves and netball B and C Grade vote counts.
Holly Ruwoldt from Horsham Saints was a runaway B Grade winner with 34 votes from Ararat’s Kate Bligh and Horsham’s Penelope Manserra, who were joint runners-up with 23 votes. Racquel Scott, Ararat, was next with 20 votes.
Kristin Starick of Minyip-murtoa won C Grade with 23 votes from Michelle Beaton, Stawell, 22, and Maddison Batchelor, Ararat, 21.
Stawell veteran ruckman Shane Field later clinched Wimmera league’s Hank Neil Trophy as reserves best and fairest with 15 votes from joint runners-up Jordan Taylor, Warrack Eagles, and Jake Strafehl, Ararat 14. Gavin Kelm from Horsham Saints was third on 13.
Wimmera league’s senior goal-kicking award went to Horsham’s Joel Geue with 57, Stawell’s Mitchell King won the reserves trophy with 36 goals and a rising star award went to Warrack Eagles’ Josh Bibby.
The champion club of the year, based on all levels of football and netball, went to Horsham.