Bill Peirce Medal - SEnior Best & Fairest Preview

TIGHT CONTEST PREDICTED IN BILL PEIRCE MEDAL COUNT

A tight contest is expected for the 2020 Bill Peirce Medal count to be held on Friday, October 23rd. In the Covid-19 shortened QAFL season, Sherwood had a number of fine players who will be in contention to win the prestigious medal.

Among the favourites will be our last two winners in reigning champion Luca Winton who was a runaway winner in 2019 after a runner up finish in 2018 and Ryan Harwood, the 2018 winner. Both had excellent seasons and should feature strongly. Strong midfielder Will Fletcher is also expected to poll well, and stayed injury free allowing him to maintain his form and did not play a bad game. Fletcher now has a fully mature body which enabled him to win plenty of hard contested football and he  provided plenty of run through the midfield.

Lanky ruckman Samson Ryan was tireless in ruck and his ruck work and strong marking around ground  puts him in the mix, he certainly had some standout games where he should poll well and put him in contention in a short season. Key defender/utility Aaron Highland and another youngster in Ethan Sivijs will also be in the mix, after consistent seasons. Both played good solid and consistent football in the 8 match shortened home and away season and should poll a few votes.

Key forward Liam Dawson also had an excellent year to be runner up in the QAFL goalkicking table with 31 goals, averaging over 3 goals per game and another half-back in Errin Wasley-Black was also a consistent player providing leadership in the back half and acting as a rebounding defender. Riley Easton and Caleb Franks should also poll well after doing a mountain of work in the clinches, with Easton regularly tackling himself to a standstill.

RESERVES JB MEDAL VERY OPEN CONTEST

The Reserves JB (John Burkill) Medal is an open contest with a number of players in contention.

With only 8 matches played it is expected to be a tight contest, especially with several players also making some senior appearances

Players in contention include skipper and 2019 winner Ben Jaenke-Cain who had another season where he was a prolific ball winner in the centre of the ground and ruckman Trystan Juffs-King was a workhorse all season and shouldered most of the ruck work and was also a good player around the ground.

Others in the mix include young half-back Sam Hartog who played well as an intercepting and rebounding  defender who often kept the Pies in matches  for longer than otherwise would be the case and  mid fielder Sam St John also had a good season but missing several games while playing in the Seniors and one with injury might cost him a real chance at the top honour. The same could also be said of Zach Collison who is a consistently good player, made his senior debut during the year before injury struck late.

COLTS MAURIE McNAMEE MEDAL

The Colts Maurie McNamee medal will be a tough contest in a strong field of consistent performers. John Baker was a late started, but was consistently good player to be rewarded with a senior debut late in the year. Tall forward Connor Culley started well, but then played some Reserves football and succumbed to injury making it hard to poll in such a shortened season. Also around the ball, ruckman Ethan Harris was a pillar of strength and the epitome of consistency, while Mitch Lake was also strong around the contest. Sean Ryan after an injury riddled 2019 returned to the sort of form we all know he is capable of, breaking lines, hitting targets and being a prolific ball-winner should hold him in good stead to poll well.

Also in the mix should be Lawson Campbell who was a top 3 finisher in 2019, Lamont Kalolo who was a consistent performer and Xavier Knight and Will Cruice are also expected to feature strongly.