Ava repeats ‘mum’s medal’ victory

Cottam’s win followed on from the 2011 league best and fairest award of her mother, Leah, who was the club’s last Sandra Cox medallist before last week’s count.

Hughes and Cottam’s recognition came amid the A-grade MVP win of Teal Hocking, the league’s service recognition of John Newman and the Under-16 MVP win of Nate Rasmussen.

Ash Flanagan was also runner-up in the Gaye Eaton Medal, for the B-Reserve competition.

Seymour’s Ben Rigoni and Shepparton United’s Jessie Barnes were recognised as the Morrison and Wellman Family medallists for 2022.

Rigoni polled 22 votes to finish one clear of Kyabram’s Kaine Herbert, while Zac Keogh rounded out the top three on 18.

Despite winning 16 of 18 matches, Echuca’s top vote-getter Sam Willoughby finished in a four-way tie for fourth on 17 votes.

The four-way tie also featured Rochester ace Shaun Atley, in his first season back with the Tigers following a 234-game AFL career at North Melbourne.

Ben Reid was Echuca’s next best performer on 13 votes.

Barnes won her third consecutive Wellman Family Medal, romping to a six-vote victory after producing yet another dominant season.

The United ace polled 31 votes to finish six clear of Kyabram’s Hollie Reid.

Echuca star Steph Vick rounded out the top three on 23 votes.

Rochester’s Bridgette Holt finished in a tie for fourth on 18 votes, with Tigers teammate Teal Hocking a further vote back.

Tatura’s Molly Kennedy took the mantle as the competition’s best young player, securing the Mooroopna Golf Club Most Talented Award.

In the remaining awards, the reserves football Abikhair Medal count was equally as enthralling as its seniors counterpart, with Euroa’s Craig Bamford and Tatura’s Matt Rennie sharing the honour.

The under-18 Pattison Medal will join the Morrison in heading south down the Goulburn Valley Highway to Seymour, with young gun Angus Murray emerging four votes clear of Kyabram’s Liam Francis.

In the lower netball competitions, Rochester’s Hughes was rewarded for a dominant B-grade campaign, winning the Sandra Cox Medal by a whopping nine votes.

The B-reserve Gaye Eaton Medal was a much closer affair, with Echuca’s Jessica Davidson taking top honours with a total of 28 votes, one clear of Rochester’s Ash Flanagan and teammate Tayla Wagner.

The Carol Ryan Rising Star award, which recognises the champion 17-and-under netballer, went to Rochester’s Cottam.

And the Jacqui Hudgson Medal for the 15-and-under competition was won by Kyabram’s Ava Pell.

The GVL also honoured its top coaches for season 2022.

On the football side of things, Echuca duo Andrew Walker and Simon Maddox took out the GMCA Senior Coach of the Year award, while Shepparton Swans under-18 mentor Rob Auld won the GMCA Youth Coach of the Year.

While it was a family affair in the netball, with Mooroopna’s Di Hanslow secured the Netball Vic Senior Coach of the Year, while daughter Bree Hanslow was recognised as the Netball Vic Youth Coach of the Year for her efforts with the Cats’ under-17 squad.

Rounding out the award winners, Tatura’s Catherine Brooks was recognised as the Administrator of the Year, Seymour’s Douglas McLarty the GOTAFE Volunteer of the Year, with the Veolia Spirit of the GVL going to Seymour’s Karen Wright.

And finally, Echuca was dubbed the George Hunter Champion Club for 2022.