MAX WEBBER RUNNER-UP IN QAFL COLTS BEST AND FAIREST

Western Magpies Colts Co-Captain Max Webber was runner up in the QAFL Colts Best and Fairest Award announced at the QAFL Awards Night at the Gabba on Sunday evening.

The Sherwood junior plays in the midfield and polled 18 votes to be behind the winner on 22 votes. Webber was 3 votes clear of the third place getter.

Webber has led from the front this season and his hard work at the coal face obviously caught the umpires eyes.

He has the ability to run all day and also does not mind a scrap to win the hard ball at the bottom of the packs.

Webber and his Colts team-mates are preparing for the QAFL Grand Final at Southport on Saturday and no doubt he will be a key player in the Pies' attempt to win the Premiership.

CHARLIE PERSHOUSE IN QAFL TEAM OF THE YEAR AND FIFTH IN RISING STAR AWARD

Young Pies key positionplayer Charlie Pershouse was the only Pies player named in the QAFL Team of the Year when named on the interchange bench on Sunday night.

He also finished fifth in the QAFL Rising Star Award, polling 13 votes to be behind the winner on 24 votes. Being named in the QAFL Team of the Year is a great achievement for the young gun. In addition he was also a Syd Guildford Trophy (QAFL Media Best Player Award)  nominee for Round 10 when he booted 6 goals against Mt Gravatt.
Pershouse has great versatility, being able to play at both ends of the ground. He kicked multiple goals in several matches as a key forward then was able to play at fullback and contain some of the QAFL's big full forwards. He also missed several matches when he was elevated to the Brisbane Lions NEAFL team and also missed a couple of games late in the year with injury. He was certainly missed in those games when he was absent.

The other Pies nomination for the Rising Star Award was young ruckman Aaron Highlands. Highlands did not finish near the top of the leaderboard but he is held in the highest regard within the Pies establishment. He rucked tirelessly in all 16 matches and his durability and ability to simply keep going all match in every match against some big opponents was a fantastic effort and well noted within the club, if not fully acknowledged by outside judges.

It is said ruckman do not mature until their late 20s but Highlands, only just turned 20, showed he can mix it with the big boys and do it consistently in a terrific first season in the QAFL.