Ahead of the looming Rennie-hosted grand final this coming Saturday, players and club members congregated to find out who would claim the competition’s prestigious sole honours.
Picola United had several players recognised, with Blake Jorgensen taking out the Schifferle Transport Award, and Dylan Cunningham awarded the reserves goal-kicking award.
Sasha Daniel was named among a field of seven nominees for the the netball rising star award, but Waaia’s Holly Boyd took out the category.
Tungamah playing co-coach Sam Ferguson bolted away to clinch the Pearce Medal by a sizeable five-vote margin.
The ex-Shepparton Swans and Congupna gun beat out Katunga’s Cameron Bishop for top spot, polling 25 votes to Bishop’s 20 ahead of third-ranked Katandra multi-talent Mitch McGrath (19).
Rounding out the top five was Katandra’s Seb Fernandez with 18 votes while Katamatite’s Toby Kopa finished the season with 14.
Remarkably, the A-grade netball prize also went to a playing coach.
However, the winning margin was much slimmer than in the senior football.
Jerilderie mentor Ella Arnold pipped Katandra’s Rebecca Osmond, who is also an ex-coach of the Kats, by a single vote to walk away with the Lukies Medal around her neck.
Both Arnold and Osmond polled in 11 matches during the season, but the former had the edge as her tally of 27 proved enough to bring the gong back to Demonland.
In the least surprising moment of the presentation, Strathmerton sniper Tim Looby picked up the senior football leading goalkicking prize for his astounding haul of 113 majors.
The football rising star gong went to Deniliquin Rovers’ Cameron Willis, who beat out Tyler Stephens (Strathmerton), Jake Bell (Katunga) and Jayden Arnold (Tungamah).
Katandra sealed the champion football club honour ahead of its grand final berth while on the netball front, the same went for Deniliquin Rovers as it eyes off consecutive A-grade premierships on Saturday.
Katamatite mentor James Hazelman claimed the senior football coach of the year while fellow Tiger Cassia Colbeck picked up the equivalent netball honour.
Lastly, Waaia’s Makenzie Sprunt was named administrator of the year.
Picola District Football League best-and-fairest winners
Senior football: Sam Ferguson (Tungamah)
Reserves football: Matthew Ross (Berrigan)
A-grade netball: Ella Arnold (Jerilderie)
B-grade netball: Ruby Arnel (Waaia)
C-grade netball: Katie Towe (Katunga)
C-reserve netball: Lauren Calder (Katandra)
