Basile claims top medal at WAAFL AwardsMonday, September 5, 2016 - 9:39 AM

More than 800 players, officials and VIP’s packed the Crown Ballroom to celebrate the 2016 WA Amateur Football League season on Wednesday, August 31.

One of the biggest nights on the WAAFL calendar sees the football guernseys swapped for suits as the League recognises those who have excelled throughout the year.

This year’s presentation saw Fremantle CBC’s Christopher Basile awarded the CJ Jamieson Medal as the A Grade Best and Fairest for 2016.

After finishing runner in 2014 and 2015, Basile finally claimed the medal after polling 22 votes in just eight rounds, including an impressive six best on ground performances.

Last year’s winner Bradley Nisbett from the West Coast Amateur Football Club finished as runner up with 18 votes, while 2016 leading goal kicker Marc Re from Scarborough finished third with 16 votes.

David McKinlay from the Mt Lawley Amateur Football Club won the TR Howard Medal for the B Grade Best and Fairest just minutes after he claimed the B Grade Leading Goal Kicker award in a tie with his brother Adam McKinlay and Wembley’s Tim Noakes, who all kicked 57 goals for the season.

Other winners included Kingsley’s Andrew Fisher who made it back to back wins in C1, while Klinton Williams from Curtin Uni Wesley took out the A Reserves medal for the second time in a row.

The N.K Donaldson medal for the Phil Scott Colts competition went to Harrison Whiteside of Curtin Uni Wesley. After five best on ground performances Whiteside won the award by three votes, making it back to back medals after taking out the award in 2015.

The night not only honoured the best and fairest players from the various grades but also recognised the achievements of clubs, administrators and umpires throughout the 2016 season.

The Ron Webster Memorial award for the senior champion club was awarded to University Football Club and the TK Naylor award for the Colts champion club was awarded to both Wanneroo and Willetton.

The champion club awards are calculated by both on and off field points with points awarded for each win, meeting attendance, payments and paperwork submitted on time. Points are deducted for send-offs and for match day fines.

The LA Tetley award for best player of the 2016 State Program was awarded to Jayden D’Vauz of Kelmscott Football Club for his performance across all games and his attitude and leadership during the entire program. Laurie Kane of Ballajura Football Club won the administrator of the year, while Andrew Browne won the WAAFL Coach of the year Award.

This year the WAAFL had three new inductees into the Hall of Champions which recognises the greatest WA Amateur Footballers or those legends of the game who started their careers in amateur football. Inducted as champions this year were Bill Duckworth from the North Beach Amateur Football Club and Michael Salmon from the University Football Club. Shane Beros from the Mt Lawley Football Club was inducted as a High Achiever.