Matt Boag’s decision to return to his junior club has had its first payoff, with the star Torquay midfielder claiming the Les Ash Medal as Bellarine best-and-fairest tonight (Wednesday).
The 29-year-old, who will play a key role in Torquay’s quest for consecutive premierships in Saturday’s grand final meeting with Anglesea, polled 26 votes to win by six from Roos playing coach Jordan Keras on 20.
Emerging Drysdale defender Luke Preece shared third spot with Geelong Amateur duo Harry Kershaw and Riley Ferguson on 16 votes.
When the count went live after Round 9, Preece had polled 12 votes to lead Boag by two votes, with Keras a further two votes back.
A run of four best-on-ground performances between rounds 10 and 15 proved to be the difference as Boag took a lead in Round 10 that he never surrendered.
Keras pulled to within one vote with six rounds remaining after attracting seven votes – including two three-vote efforts – between rounds 10 and 12.
Boag’s victory continued Torquay’s recent dominance of the award.
In the ten counts held from 2014 onwards, a Tiger has won or shared the Ash six times, including teammate James Darke’s equal-record haul of four.
As well as Darke, Boag joins coach Dom Gleeson (2018), George Arnold (1998), Chris Haddock (1990-91) and Mark Browne (1986) as Torquay winners of the award.
More to come
X: @krockfootball
CLUB BY CLUB VOTES
| ANGLESEA | |
| Jordan Keras | 20 |
| Noah McGregor-Dawson | 14 |
| Lachlan Smith | 12 |
| Will Batson | 9 |
| Dylan Pettingill | 6 |
| James Carr | 3 |
| Anton Woods | 2 |
| Maxwell Simpson | 2 |
| Ash Caldwell | 1 |
| Tom Couch | 1 |
| Max Virgona | 1 |
| Simon Umbers | 1 |
| BARWON HEADS | |
| Luke Davis | 13 |
| Harrison King | 11 |
| Mitchell Herbison | 9 |
| Sammy Baker | 7 |
| Jye Bartley | 6 |
| Archie Hildebrandt | 3 |
| Cooper Ward | 2 |
| Ryley Stuhldreier | 2 |
| Lachlan Wilson | 2 |
| Charlie Perks | 2 |
| Kyle Polley | 2 |
| James Syddall | 1 |
| Matt Ogle | 1 |
| DRYSDALE | |
| Luke Preece | 16 |
| Ben Fennell | 15 |
| James Breust | 9 |
| Mitchell McGuire | 8 |
| Matthew Pigott | 3 |
| Mitchell Clark | 3 |
| Benjamin Henderson | 3 |
| Tom Ruggles | 3 |
| Ricky Reid | 2 |
| Nicholas Egan | 2 |
| Jake Hargreaves | 1 |
| Joel Watson | 1 |
| Bailey Sykes | 1 |
| GEELONG AMATEUR | |
| Harry Kershaw | 16 |
| Riley Ferguson | 16 |
| Jai Sheahan | 9 |
| Blake Sutterby | 7 |
| Tom Gribble | 4 |
| Samuel Bain | 3 |
| Will Mithen | 3 |
| Patrick Dowling | 3 |
| Max Hungerford | 1 |
| Jordan Toll | 1 |
| MODEWARRE | |
| Tom Hornsey | 14 |
| Ryan Williams | 10 |
| Zack May | 7 |
| Jeremy Ollis | 7 |
| Matty McKim | 5 |
| Josh Finch | 4 |
| Jackson O’Hanlon | 3 |
| Connor Joseph | 1 |
| Michael Harper | 1 |
| NEWCOMB | |
| Jarrod Stafford | 15 |
| Jack Duke | 9 |
| Joshua Saltalamacchia | 2 |
| Corey Ogle | 2 |
| Charlie Harvey | 1 |
| OCEAN GROVE | |
| Max Sutton | 9 |
| Kye Annand | 8 |
| Campbell Snookes | 3 |
| Jye Walker | 3 |
| Joshua Lange | 3 |
| Edward Dayman | 2 |
| Benjamin Bennett | 2 |
| Jacob Talarico | 1 |
| Nick Bourke | 1 |
| Darcy Harrington | 1 |
| Brady Pritchard | 1 |
| Hugo Walsh | 1 |
| PORTARLINGTON | |
| Teia Miles | 14 |
| Connor Menadue | 7 |
| Mitchell Turnbull | 4 |
| Jaryd Cachia | 3 |
| Kelly Pickard | 3 |
| Jack Baldi | 1 |
| Stephen Heppel | 1 |
| QUEENSCLIFF | |
| Lachie Kidd | 15 |
| Che Durran | 7 |
| Zac Henderson | 5 |
| Will Baker | 3 |
| Kai Keenan | 3 |
| Jake Lindrea | 3 |
| Joseph Cincotta | 3 |
| Kyle Hartigan | 2 |
| Max Scott | 2 |
| Caleb Whitley | 1 |
| Harry Gower | 1 |
| Bailey Prato | 1 |
| TORQUAY | |
| Matthew Boag | 26 |
| Sheldon Ham | 9 |
| Baxter Mensch | 9 |
| Chase Loftus | 9 |
| Harry McLeod | 6 |
| Edward McCoy | 5 |
| Billy Henderson | 3 |
| Thomas Hooper | 3 |
| Ben McNamara | 2 |
| Michael Croxford | 2 |
| Weylin Doyle | 2 |
| Cooper Heard | 1 |
| Tom Diamond | 1 |
| Patrick Hughes | 1 |
| Reef Page | 1 |
| James Darke | 1 |
| Jesse Dawson | 1 |
