MELBOURNE recognised its best contributors from the 2019 season at Crown Palladium on Monday night.
The Demons handed out 12 awards during the event, with Max Gawn and Clayton Oliver sharing the biggest prize, the Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott Memorial Trophy.
Check out all the winners from the evening below.
Troy Broadbridge Memorial Trophy – Corey Wagner
Corey Wagner has taken home the Troy Broadbridge Memorial Trophy for his standout efforts in the VFL this season.
The 22-year-old was rookie listed by Melbourne in 2019 after winning the Casey Demons’ Best and Fairest award last season and has earned a contract extension with the club for next year.
Coming to the Dees with eight games of AFL experience at North Melbourne, Wagner played 11 senior games in his debut season, playing some valuable roles as a small forward.
When Wagner went back to VFL level, he impressed on every occasion, dominating in the midfield and polling the most votes out of any Melbourne player in Casey’s Best and Fairest count.
The VFLW Best Player Award – Harriet Cordner
Harriet Cordner has been named as the best Melbourne-listed VFLW performer this season, as she claimed the Casey Demons Best and Fairest award last Thursday night.
After taking on the co-captaincy for the Demons, Cordner starred in defence, leading from the front for the entire campaign.
The 27-year-old will be a pivotal player for Melbourne yet again in 2020 as the Demons look to make the AFLW finals for the first-time next season.
James McDonald Trophy – Jordan Lewis
Retiring great Jordan Lewis has claimed the James McDonald Trophy for consistently demonstrating the ‘Melbourne Spirit’ throughout the season.
The former Hawk, who played 319 career games (54 in the red and blue), had a challenging season with injury and form, restricting him to just 12 matches.
But through the adversity, Lewis showed leadership and pride, helping the development of his younger teammates and contributing in a defensive role later in the year.
Lewis has bowed out of the AFL as a four-time premiership player and contributed greatly to Melbourne and the game itself.
Ian Ridley Memorial Trophy – James Harmes
James Harmes has been recognised for his ongoing work in the community, as he receives the Ian Ridley Memorial Trophy for 2019.
The Club Ambassador Award acknowledges Harmes for going above and beyond in the community, and his loving relationship with No.1 fan Jon played a major part in his nomination.
Jon had the honour of presenting his favourite player with the award, as the pair shared a heart-warming moment on stage on Monday night.
Harold Ball Memorial Trophy – Harry Petty
Versatile tall Harry Petty was deemed to be the club’s best young talent in 2019, as he takes home the Harold Ball Memorial Trophy.
The 19-year-old played 10 games in his second season with the club, showing an ability to impact at both ends of the field.
Petty, who was recruited to the Dees as a key defender, was swung forward in the back half of the season and starred against the Western Bulldogs with three goals.
The 197cm tall has a bright future with the club and will be a valuable option for the Demons in the years to come.
Ron Barassi Jnr Trophy – Max Gawn
Vice-captain Max Gawn has claimed the Ron Barassi Jnr Trophy for the second year in a row, as his leadership qualities have been deemed to have a major influence on the playing group.
The ruckman’s individual efforts on the field were sensational in 2019, but it was his communication skills and his impact on others that shone the most.
At 27 years of age, Gawn is an experienced member of the team who knows what it takes to get the most out of himself.
His work ethic behind the scenes is second to none and he showed an ability to share his knowledge with his teammates throughout the season.
Norm Smith Memorial Trophy – James Harmes
James Harmes has received his second award for the night, winning the Norm Smith Memorial Trophy voted by the coaches.
This award is presented to the player who best represents the qualities of work ethic and preparation, with Harmes a fitting recipient.
The hard-at-it midfielder is as committed as they come, working hard on the training track and behind the scenes to best position himself to perform on game day.
Dick Taylor Memorial Trophy – Christian Petracca
Christian Petracca has come fifth in Melbourne’s Best and Fairest for 2019, receiving 293 votes.
The 23-year-old had a career-best year, booting 22 goals from his 22 games.
Later in the season, Petracca pushed into the midfield and showed some good signs, with a season-high 25 disposals in Round 23 to finish on a high.
Petracca was thoroughly deserving of his first top-five placing and will be able to build into a big 2020 pre-season.
Ivor Warne-Smith Memorial Trophy – James Harmes
A third award for James Harmes in one night, as he places fourth in the Club Champion with 319 votes.
The 23-year-old had another consistent year playing all 22 games in 2019.
Harmes, who claimed the Coaches Award earlier in the evening, plays a valuable role for his side, often negating one of the opposition’s most damaging players.
The midfielder also averaged 24 disposals showing an ability to win the ball and has secured his second consecutive top-five finish in the Best and Fairest.
Ron Barassi Snr Memorial Trophy – Jack Viney
Co-captain Jack Viney has won the Ron Barassi Snr Memorial Trophy after coming third in the Club Champion award.
For just the second time in his career, Viney played 21 games this season – with the last time being in 2016 when he was crowned the club’s Best and Fairest player.
The 25-year-old averaged 21 disposals and five tackles per game this season and led from the front in his third year as skipper to poll 323 votes.
Despite having injury concerns during an interrupted pre-season, Viney stayed fit for the majority of 2019 and is now in a strong position to attack the summer.
Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott Memorial Trophy – Max Gawn and Clayton Oliver
For the first time in the club’s history, Melbourne has seen a tie for the Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott Memorial Trophy, with Max Gawn and Clayton Oliver sharing the top honour for season 2019.
The Demon duo both ended up on 464 votes – 141 votes clear of third place – to win the Best and Fairest award.
Gawn’s stunning season saw him earn All Australian honours for a third time in four years, as the ruckman starred against the competitions best.
The Dees big man led the competition in hit-outs per game and averaged a league-high 12 hit-outs to advantage.
Oliver was one to benefit from his ruckman’s dominance, averaging 30 disposals per game.
The 22-year-old had the most contested possessions in the league this season, showing an incredible ability to win the hard ball for someone of his age.
Both Gawn and Oliver become two-time ‘Bluey’ winners after sharing the award over the past three seasons.
The best and fairest award is voted on by four members of the club’s match committee, with each player given a score from zero to 10 after every game.
Final Leaderboard
464 – Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver
323 – Jack Viney
319 – James Harmes
293 – Christian Petracca
230 – Bayley Fritsch
213 – Christian Salem
210 – Angus Brayshaw
204 – Sam Frost
199 – Jayden Hunt
192 – Nathan Jones
167 – Jake Melksham
154 – Steven May
151 – Tom McDonald
142 – Marty Hore
126 – Jordan Lewis
107 – Michael Hibberd
104 – Jay Lockhart
97 – Josh Wagner
87 – Harry Petty
82 – Tim Smith
65 – Sam Weideman
