Congratulations to Alex Woodward a most deserved winner of the 2014 J.J. Liston Trophy.
It’s well deserved on many fronts as the Hawthorn listed player displayed consistently good form across virtually every game he played for Box Hill Hawks.
The most telling aspect about Woodward’s Liston win is that it is a victory and reward for the persistence, resolve and determination he’s displayed in the most trying circumstances.
Woodward, a former TAC Cup Sandringham Dragons’ premiership co-captain and club best and fairest, missed his first two seasons on Hawthorn’s list after undergoing not one, but two knee reconstructions.
The just turned 21-year-old put all that heartache and disappointment behind him as he showcased the talent that saw Hawthorn draft him at the 2011 AFL National Draft.
Woodward’s victory in the Liston Trophy highlighted an enjoyable and rewarding evening where the individual stars of the Peter Jackson VFL were honoured.
It is a fabulous way the Peter Jackson VFL community can gather to celebrate another memorable season and salute those who have left their signature on the competition.
CLICK HERE to view all the VFL award winners
Port Melbourne’s Daniel Connors and Box Hill Hawks’ Sam Grimley were presented their ‘Jim ‘Frosty’ Miller medallions by the legendary Dandenong full forward whose moniker is carried on the goal kicking award.
Box Hill Hawks Peter McEvoy, a brother of Hawthorn ruck man Ben, tied with Josh Muling from Port Melbourne in the A. Todd Medal for the best and fairest player in the AFL Victoria Development League.
Frankston’s Nicholas Newman was awarded the Fothergill Round Medal, named after Des Fothergill and Barry Round, the only players to have won a Brownlow Medal and Liston Trophy, as the player aged under 23-years with the scope to take his game to the next level.
Williamstown coach Andy Collins, in his first year back in the Peter Jackson VFL for seven years, was named coach of the VFL Team of the Year.
As usual there were several familiar faces in the VFL Team of the Year, but two who deserve special recognition are Williamstown captain Ben Jolley and Port Melbourne’s Sam Pleming.
For Jolley and Pleming it is the fifth successive season they have featured in the VFL Team of the Year.
The Alec Gillon medal was awarded to Lorna Bromley from the North Ballarat Football Club. Lorna has served in a voluntary capacity as a member of the Ladies Committee for the past 61 years, the past 30 years as president.
The Best Conducted VFL Club, judged on the votes on the field umpires who rate clubs on three criteria – players behaviour, on field officials behaviour and off field officials behaviour – went to North Ballarat.
Peter Jackson VFL Life Membership was bestowed upon dual Liston Trophy winner Steve Clifton and Ben Jolley, who played his 175th VFL game during the season.
Dennis Galimberti, a long serving servant of the Sandringham Football Club whose links to Victorian football, including 10 years as Footscray CEO, stretch back to 1981, was also awarded VFL Life Membership.
John Nicol, who joined the Werribee Football Club board in 1996 and has held the position of president for the past nine years, was another recipient of a VFL Life Membership.
The above is the editorial from the VFL Record this week by AFL Victoria General Manager Grant Williams
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