The top five best and fairest from every senior club for the 2016 Northern Football League season.
Rebounding defender Paul Bower took out the Blair Harvey Medal as Heidelberg’s best and fairest in the Tigers’ premiership season.
In his fourth year at Warringal Park, Bower won the award from Sam Gilmore and Tom Sullivan. Playing-coach Charles Gaylard and captain Michael Brunelli finished tied for third.
Lucas Hobbs again claimed the Tom Melican Medal as Macleod’s best and fairest, despite missing three games late in the season with a shoulder injury.
Hobbs claimed the award from Hamish Paynter and Justin White and has now been named the Roos’ club champion in each of his two seasons at De Winton Park.
David Ellard took out Greensborough’s best and fairest in his sole season at War Memorial Park, ahead of a move back to Western Australia next year.
Ellard, who played just 15 of the Boro’s 21 games this year, finished ahead of defender Dan McLinden, while Ricky Mullins was third for the second-straight year.
After snaring his second Frank Rosbrook Medal as the league’s best and fairest player, Matthew Dennis also took out the Bundoora club champion award.
It capped off a massive year for the Bulls’ ruckman, who was co-captain of the NFL interleague team in May.
Dennis won the Bundoora count on 60 votes, ahead of young midfielder Liam Byrne (44) and competition leading goal kicker Gary Moorcroft (32).
Jordan Perry claimed the Molloy Medal as Northcote Park’s best and fairest in his first season at Bill Lawry Oval.
The former Northern Blues midfielder won the award from fellow emerging youngster Gerard Sutton. Cougars captain Bronik Davies, who was runner-up to Matthew Dennis for the Frank Rosbrook Medal, was third in his club count.
Montmorency’s vote count was headed by a host of midfielders, with Stephen McCallum finishing in first place.
In his second season with the Magpies, McCallum won the award ahead of Ben Fennell and Jesse Donaldson.
Shaun Gannon won West Preston-Lakeside’s best and fairest for the fourth time after a runner-up finish last year.
Gannon polled 194 votes to finish ahead of 2015 winner Luke Lirosi (114) and Patrick Karnezis (111).
It was the third successive year Gannon and Lirosi finished in the top-two of the Roosters’ best and fairest count.
Gavan Connelly also collected his fourth best and fairest, capping off an outstanding return at Eltham after two seasons out of the game.
Connelly polled in 14 games and collected 138 votes, finishing ahead of Billy Glasgow (98) and full back Eamon Gilbert (72).
Elsewhere, Jai Robinson took out Whittlesea’s best and fairest in his first full season with the Eagles, while Division 1 Coaches Player of the Year Patrick Flynn added to his individual honours by winning Lower Plenty’s best and fairest.
Tom Simpson claimed Hurstbridge’s best and fairest award in the club’s successful premiership campaign.
It capped off a big 12 months for the 19-year-old, who captained the NFL’s under-19 interleague team and was best afield in their big win over the MPNFL in May.
Jay Barbera finished second, while John Kreuzer and Brayden Shaw were tied for third.
In just his second season of football, Michael Florance took out North Heidelberg’s best and fairest award.
After a runner-up finish in his debut season, Florance went one better this year to finish ahead of five-time winner Shane Harvey and Bulldogs’ skipper Leigh Gilbert.
At Diamond Creek, Chris Moloney won the John Elliott Medal for the second consecutive season.
Moloney, who was selected in the back pocket in the Division 2 Team of the Year, won the best and fairest ahead of recruit Brad Perry and fellow defender Hugh Kavanagh.
Peter Hood also became a multiple best and fairest winner after taking out the Fitzroy Stars club champion award for the second year in a row.
Hood, who was the only player not from a Division 1 club to feature in the NFL’s interleague team this year, won the award from veteran Lionel Proctor, while defender Clinton Benjamin was third in his first season with the Stars.
James Rizzolio took out Thomastown’s best and fairest, capping off a fine individual season that included selection in the Division 2 Team of the Year.
Division 2 Coaches Player of the Year Tom Blake won Panton Hill’s best and fairest, while Shane Jacobs was Lalor’s club champion for the second straight season.
Matthew Buzinskas claimed Division 3 premier Watsonia’s best and fairest in his first season at A.K. Lines Reserve.
The former Boronia skipper had a huge impact in his debut year with the Saints, but unfortunately missed the grand final win over Epping through injury.
Buzinskas edged out 2014 winner Hayden Mitchell, while competition best and fairest Matthew Crompton was third.
Epping captain Josh Stavely won his side’s best and fairest for the second year in a row.
Stavely last year ended Daniel Moore’s six-year reign as Epping club champion and repeated the effort this season as the Blues once again made the grand final.
Veteran defender Shane Wood finished in second place, with competition leading goal kicker Aaron Willitts third.
Luke Shelton again took out South Morang’s best and fairest, meaning he has now won the award in each of his two seasons with the Lions.
Shelton polled 124 votes to finish well clear of fellow Division 3 Team of the Year representatives Daniel Caruso (79) and Jake Potter (76).
Dillan Ronalds marked his return to St Mary’s by saluting for the Burra’s best and fairest.
Ronalds won the award in 2013 and again triumphed this year after two seasons at Lower Plenty.
He this year finished ahead of Nick Daisley and Jake Dambrauskas – who both featured in the Division 3 Team of the Year with Ronalds.
Division 3 Coaches Player of the Year Les Adams took out Mernda’s best and fairest for the third successive year.
The Demons skipper finished ahead of David Hutchinson and 18-year-old midfielder Anthony Cardamone.
Elsewhere, Daniel Kelly (Banyule), Peter DeSousa (Kilmore) and Kane Moore (Heidelberg West) won their respective best and fairest awards.
Continue below for all of this year’s best and fairest results.
DIVISION 1
BUNDOORA
1st – Matthew Dennis
2nd – Liam Byrne
3rd – Gary Moorcroft
4th – Brendan Carlyon
5th – Issac Muller
ELTHAM
1st – Gavan Connelly
2nd – Billy Glasgow
3rd – Eamon Gilbert
4th – Anton Woods
5th – Chase Caulfield
GREENSBOROUGH
1st – David Ellard
2nd – Dan McLinden
3rd – Ricky Mullins
4th – Jack Johnston
5th – Nick Riddle
HEIDELBERG
1st – Paul Bower
Eq 2nd – Sam Gilmore
Eq 2nd – Tom Sullivan
Eq 3rd – Michael Brunelli
Eq 3rd – Charles Gaylard
LOWER PLENTY
1st – Patrick Flynn
2nd – Tom Keys
3rd – Darcy Barden
4th – Blake Poyser
Eq 5th – Cameron Elmore
Eq 5th – Ciaran Porter
MACLEOD
1st – Lucas Hobbs
2nd – Hamish Paynter
3rd – Justin White
4th – Hayden Seivers
5th – Matthew Clark
MONTMORENCY
1st – Stephen McCallum
2nd – Ben Fennell
3rd – Jesse Donaldson
4th – Daniel Keenan
5th – Joel McLellan
NORTHCOTE PARK
1st – Jordan Perry
2nd – Gerard Sutton
3rd – Bronik Davies
4th – Julian Violato
5th – Mannon Johnston
WEST PRESTON-LAKESIDE
1st – Shaun Gannon
2nd – Luke Lirosi
3rd – Patrick Karnezis
4th – Rhett Jordon
5th – Liam McVeigh
WHITTLESEA
1st – Jai Robinson
2nd – Justin Sherman
3rd – Riley Dyson
4th – Matt Dornauf
5th – Matthew Atta
DIVISION 2
DIAMOND CREEK
1st – Chris Moloney
2nd – Brad Perry
3rd – Hugh Kavanagh
4th – Jack Prosser
5th – Kane Tenace
FITZROY STARS
1st – Peter Hood
2nd – Lionel Proctor
3rd – Clinton Benjamin
4th – Jai Burns
5th – Kain Proctor
HURSTBRIDGE
1st – Tom Simpson
2nd – Jay Barbera
Eq 3rd – John Kreuzer
Eq 3rd – Brayden Shaw
4th – Riley Reading
LALOR
1st – Shane Jacobs
2nd – Todd Hughes
3rd – Jarrod King
4th – Jhye Baddeley-Kelly
5th – Alex Dao
NORTH HEIDELBERG
1st – Michael Florance
2nd – Shane Harvey
3rd – Leigh Gilbert
4th – Pasquale Saccuzzo
Eq 5th – Daniel Bramich
Eq 5th – Kyle McDonald
PANTON HILL
1st – Tom Blake
2nd – Sam Parks
3rd – Tyler Scarce
4th – Scott Conte
5th – Matthew Duckworth
THOMASTOWN
1st – James Rizzolio
Eq 2nd – Josh Beare
Eq 2nd – Nick Horman
Eq 2nd – Adrian Natoli
3rd – Matthew Cupo
DIVISION 3
BANYULE
1st – Daniel Kelly
2nd – Luke Giles
3rd – Jacob Smith
4th – Ryan Keys
5th – Michael Italia
EPPING
1st – Josh Stavely
2nd – Shane Wood
3rd – Aaron Willitts
4th – Tom Hughes
5th – Jason Stavely
HEIDELBERG WEST
1st – Kane Moore
2nd – Brad Moore
3rd – Liam Pender
4th – Aidan Young
5th – Mitch Hand
KILMORE
1st – Peter DeSousa
2nd – Brian Bell
3rd – Marcus Webb
4th – Ben Cooney
5th – Michael Marrett
MERNDA
1st – Les Adams
2nd – David Hutchinson
3rd – Anthony Cardamone
4th – Krys Douglas
5th – Josh Delaney
SOUTH MORANG
1st – Luke Shelton
2nd – Daniel Caruso
3rd – Jake Potter
4th – Mitch Buckley
5th – Daniel Watson
ST MARY’S
1st – Dillan Ronalds
2nd – Nicholas Daisley
3rd – Jake Dambrauskas
4th – Nicholas Dean
5th – Isaac Edgar
WATSONIA
1st – Matthew Buzinskas
2nd – Hayden Mitchell
3rd – Matthew Crompton
4th – Jarryd Allan
5th – Xavier Kelly
