By Tara Murray
Star Macedon goaler Chloe Wilson had a week many people could only dream of, claiming not one, but two league best and fairests in the space of four days.
Wilson was named the Victorian Netball League division 1 most valuable player at the start of the week.
She was also named in the division 1 team of the year.
Then on Wednesday night she won the Ryan Medal, the Riddell District Football Netball League’s top netball honour.
Wilson said both awards were so unexpected she did not have a speech prepared for either honour.
In the Ryan Medal, Wilson was eight votes clear after 10 rounds and she sealed the win with two rounds to go. She finished on 29 votes, eight clear of Rockbank’s Rianne Vining.
“I have been consistently shooting goals, but there is so many good players in other teams and I thought for sure players from my team would take votes off me,” she said. “I was six or seven votes up with two rounds to go, I was like ‘OMG this can’t be happening’.”
Wilson shot the highest number of goals this year in the A-grade competition with 556 goals in 18 games.
Only Rupertswood’s Hannah Keane, who plays both under-19s and B-grade, shot more goals across all divisions.
Wilson was quick to praise her teammates.
“It’s been really good, but I’ve got girls around me who can feed me so damn well, it’s a credit to them too,” Wilson said.
“It’s a team award.”
The Cats will this week face Romsey in the grand final.
Wilson was named in the team of the year along with four of her Macedon teammates.
Katie Clarke, Janelle Birch and Caitlyn Alifraco were named in the starting seven alongside Wilson. Tayissa Coppinger was named on the bench.
Others in the team of the year were Stefanie Symes, Prue Stanley, Rebecca Hicks, Rebecca Morabito, Lauren Close and Rebecca Colwell.
Chris Cameron was named coach of the year, while Hicks was named the Western Water player of the year, voted by the coaches.
Wallan’s Jesse Davies won the Bowen Medal, for the league’s top footballer, finishing on 27 votes, three votes clear of Rupertswood’s Brent Swallow.
Davies also won the Ontime Delivery Solutions Player of the Year.
Riddell’s Jamie Elliott was named coach of the year.
For more on the RDFNL’s awards night:
www.starweekly.com.au/sports/wallans-jesse-davies-takes-out-the-bowen-medal/
www.starweekly.com.au/sports/rockbank-pair-among-winners-at-rdfnl-best-and-fairest-night/
