AFL VICTORIA MEDIA RELEASE
Gippsland Powers Nick Graham has tonight won the 2012 Morrish Medal in the TAC Cup.
In a tight vote count, Graham claimed two votes in the final round to give him the lead and the win on 17, one vote ahead of North Ballarat Rebels’ Nick Rippon.
The Morrish win adds to a big year for the Gippsland Power midfielder, having represented Vic Country earlier in the year at the NAB AFL Under 18 Championships, and next Saturday he will attempt to help the Power into the TAC Cup Grand Final with Power playing in a Preliminary Final.
18 year old Graham, whose junior club was Tedas then Traralgon Tyers United, became the third Gippsland Power Morrish Medallist, joining Matthew Stolarczyk (1999) and Jarryd Blair (2008).
Graham polled three best on grounds, and more importantly polled in three of the last four matches to win the Medal in a season where he averaged 25 disposals a game. He was also named at half forward in the TAC Cup Team of the Year, and was equal third in the TAC Cup Coaches Award behind winner Jake Lloyd from North Ballarat Rebels.
Close to 500 people attended the event, with special guests on the night including Northern Blues player – and former Northern Knight – Adam Marcon, former Essendon forward and Western Jets player Matthew Lloyd and former Dandenong Southern Stingray and now Greater Western Sydney player Adam Treloar.
Other Award winners on the night included:
TAC CUP TEAM OF THE YEAR Coach: Martin Allison – Calder Cannons
BACKLINE: NICK RIPPON NORTH BALLARAT REBELS TOM CLUREY MURRAY BUSHRANGERS LUKE MCDONALD OAKLEIGH CHARGERS
HALF BACK LINE NICK VLASTUIN NORTHERN KNIGHTS KRISTIAN JAKSCH OAKLEIGH CHARGERS NATHAN WRIGHT DANDENONG STINGRAYS
CENTRE LINE JONATHAN O’ROURKE CALDER CANNONS OLIVER WINES BENDIGO PIONEERS THOMAS GRIBBLE GEELONG FALCONS
HALF FORWARD LINE LACHLAN WHITFIELD DANDENONG STINGRAYS THOMAS BOYD EASTERN RANGES NICK GRAHAM GIPPSLAND POWER
FULL FORWARD LINE LACHLAN HUNTER WESTERN JETS JOE DANIHER CALDER CANNONS TIM MEMBREY GIPPSLAND POWER
FOLLOWERS SAM GILMORE NORTHERN KNIGHTS MATTHEW CROUCH NORTH BALLARAT REBELS NATHAN HROVAT NORTHERN KNIGHTS
INTERCHANGE JAKE LLOYD NORTH BALLARAT REBELS JAKE STRINGER BENDIGO PIONEERS TAYLOR GARNER DANDENONG STINGRAYS RYAN EXON OAKLEIGH CHARGERS MICHAEL BARNES SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS RORY AITKINS CALDER CANNONS
SPEED HURTS AWARDS:
Overall Winners: Western Jets Runner Up: Murray Bushrangers Highly Recommend: Sandringham Dragons
Eva-Peers Medallist: Madeline Keryk
(Awarded annually to the player who is deemed by her peers and coaching staff to have made the most significant contribution to the Victoria U18 Youth Girls team at the AFL National Championships.)
TAC CUP COACHES AWARD: Jake Lloyd (North Ballarat Rebels) 27 votes
Jake Lloyd North Ballarat Rebels 27
Nathan Hrovat Northern Knights 25
Rory Atkins Calder Cannons 24
Nick Graham Gippsland Power 24
Matt Crouch North Ballarat Rebels 23
Nick Rippon North Ballarat Rebels 23
TAC Cup Leading Goal Kicker: Thomas Boyd (Eastern Ranges) 44
Morrish Medallist: Nick Graham (Gippsland Power) 17
Final Morrish Votes
Nick Graham Gippsland Power 17
Nick Rippon North Ballarat Rebels 16
Nathan Hrovat Northern Knights 14
Ryan Exon Oakleigh Chargers 12
Oliver Wines Bendigo Pioneers 11
Matthew Crouch North Ballarat Rebels 11
Josh Bench Western Jets 11