2019 Simply Energy WAFL Colts Best & Fairest Winners Wednesday, October 9, 2019 - 8:48 AM

WAFL clubs have celebrated their respective seasons over the weekend with Fairest and Best Award evenings.

Below is a summary of each Club’s Best and Fairest winner.

CLAREMONT – LOUIS PASSERA
The Scarborough Junior averaged 16 possessions, 4 marks and 2 tackles across 20 games, playing primarily across the half-back line, to win the Tom Richardson Memorial Trophy, ahead of Joel Western and Leno Thomas.

At Claremont, Passera ranked first for total marks (72), fourth for total possessions (314), eighth for possessions per game (15), and tenth for total tackles (40).

Passera was named in the best on seven occasions with his notable performances coming against East Fremantle in round one (17 possessions and 5 marks), Subiaco in round seven (21 possessions, 8 marks, 5 tackles and 2 inside 50s), and Swan Districts in round 10 (15 possessions, 4 tackles, 3 marks and 2 inside 50s).

EAST FREMANTLE – MICHAEL WRIGHT
With some of his star team-mates missing games due to State and Senior selection, the Chapman Valley Junior stood tall throughout the 2019 season. 

He polled 129 votes to win the Len Anderson Medal ahead of Trent Rivers (113) and Chad Warner (108)

In 15 games, Wright booted 9 goals and averaged 17 possessions, 5 tackles and 3 marks.

For East Fremantle, he ranked first for total tackles (80), second for total possessions (261), second for total marks (50), third for goals (9), and eighth for possessions per game (17).

His best performances coming against Claremont in round one (23 possessions and 9 tackles), Subiaco in rounds two (24 possessions and 2 goals) and 13 (20 possessions, and 13 tackles), and Swan Districts in round six (23 possessions and 2 goals).

EAST PERTH – ADAM BOULES
The Mount Hawthorn Junior established himself as a player to watch out for next year’s AFL Draft, after he claimed the Hec Strempel Award.

Boules polled 33 votes to just edge out Jamie Marinoni and Sebit Kuek (29 votes each).

Across 18 games, Boules averaged 20 possessions, 7 tackles, and 5 marks. For East Perth, he ranked first for total possessions (365), second for possessions per game (20), first for total marks (81) and first for total tackles (126).

His best performances came against South Fremantle in round seven (22 possessions, 7 marks, 6 tackles and a goal), East Fremantle in round nine (20 possessions and 10 tackles), Claremont in round 11 (19 possessions and a goal), Swan Districts in round 13 (24 possessions and 9 marks), and Subiaco in round 20 (27 possessions, 9 tackles, 6 marks and a goal). 

PEEL THUNDER – JACKSON KNIGHT
The Mandurah Football Club product was the runaway winner of the Dave Cameron Memorial Medal with 101 votes, more than twenty votes ahead of the second-placed Brad Oldfield and Jack Sears (79 votes each).

Across 17 games, Knight booted nine goals and averaged 18 possessions, five inside 50s, five marks and five tackles, and was named in the best on seven occasions. 

He ranked second at the Thunder for total possessions (313), fourth for possessions per game (18.4), third for total marks (84), second for total tackles (83) and equal seventh for goals kicked (9).

His most notable games came against West Perth in round one (18 possessions, 4 inside 50s and a goal), East Fremantle in round three (20 possessions and 5 inside 50s), and East Perth in round five (18 possessions, 6 marks, and a goal), East Fremantle in round 15 (25 possessions, 12 tackles and 8 inside 50s), and Claremont in round 17 (15 possessions, 6 inside 50s, 5 marks, 5 tackles and 3 goals).

PERTH DEMONS – SIMON HAYWARD
The Belmont Junior was a runaway winner in the Jack Ensor Medal Count, polling 131 votes, 47 more than Nathan O’Driscoll who placed second with 84 votes.

In 13 games, Hayward booted 11 goals and averaged 21 possessions, 7 tackles and 4 marks.

His notable performances were against Swan Districts in round three (20 possessions and 13 tackles), West Perth in round six (31 possessions, 7 tackles and a goal), East Fremantle in round seven (27 possessions, 9 tackles and a goal), East Perth in round 12 (28 possessions, 6 tackles and 2 goals) and Peel Thunder in round 20 (33 possessions, 13 tackles and a goal).

At Perth, he ranked first for total possessions (278), third for possessions per game (21), second for total marks (49), equal first for tackles (88), and first for goals (11).

SOUTH FREMANTLE – MANFRED KELLY
Despite it being a bleak season for South Fremantle, Kelly was a constant beacon of light, and was the clear winner of the Dave Ingraham Memorial Medal.

Kelly polled 91 votes, well ahead of Ira Jetta (66) and Nash Miller (55) to claim the Medal. 

Originally from the Armadale Junior Football Club, Kelly averaged 21 possessions, six tackles and three marks across 14 games.

His most notable performances came against Perth in rounds two (24 possessions, six marks, six tackles and five inside 50s) and 14 (30 possessions, 10 tackles and two goals), West Perth in rounds three (17 possessions, six tackles and five marks) and 20 (25 possessions, seven tackles and four inside 50s), East Perth in round seven (20 possessions and two tackles), East Fremantle in round eight (32 possessions, seven tackles and five marks), and Swan Districts in round 16 (24 possessions and five tackles).

For the Bulldogs, Kelly ranked first for total possessions (288), first for possessions per game (21), second for total tackles (80), and sixth for total marks (44).

Kelly is also tied to Fremantle as part of their Next-Generation Academy.

SUBIACO – BEN GOLDING
A year after winning Subiaco’s Best First Year Player Award, Golding took his game to another level in 2019, winning the Taylor Medal.

Originally from the North Beach Junior Football Club, Golding kicked 7 goals and averaged 25 possessions, 7 tackles and 5 marks across 15 games.

His best games came against South Fremantle in round six (39 possessions and a goal), Claremont in round seven (23 possessions and 12 tackles), Perth in round nine (25 possessions and 11 tackles), East Fremantle in round 13 (28 possessions, 7 marks and 6 inside 50s), Swan Districts in round 18 (25 possessions, 9 marks and 6 tackles) and East Perth in round 20 (27 possessions and 3 goals).

At Subiaco, Golding ranked first for total possessions (378), third for possessions per game (25), first for total marks (76), and first for total tackles (106).

Golding also won the WAFL Colts Coaches Award, finished second in the Jack Clarke Medal and won selection in the Simply Energy WAFL Colts Team of the Year as the ruck-rover.

SWAN DISTRICTS – SEBASTIAN BRIGHT
The High Wycombe Junior won the EJ McManus Award in a tight count, just beating Kade Wallrodt by two votes.

In just 11 games for Swans, Bright averaged 21 possessions, 8 tackles, 4 inside 50s, 2 marks and kicked 6 goals. 

He was named in the best on six occasions with his best performances coming against South Fremantle in round one (18 possessions, 8 tackles and 3 inside 50s), East Perth in round two (17 possessions and 10 tackles), West Perth in round four (22 possessions and 11 tackles), and Perth in round eight (22 possessions, 7 tackles, 5 inside 50s and 2 goals).

For the Swans, Bright ranked fifth for total possessions (234), third for possessions per game (21), and first for total tackles (88).

WEST PERTH – KOOPAH TODD
The Jack Clarke Medallist capped off his magnificent season when he claimed the Dominish Medal, just one vote ahead of runner-up Heath Chapman.

In 18 games, Todd kicked 18 goals and averaged 23 possessions, 5 marks, and 4 tackles.

His best games came against Peel Thunder in round one (20 possessions and a goal), Claremont in round two (28 possessions, 8 marks and 7 inside 50s), South Fremantle in round three (29 possessions and a goal), Perth in round six (22 possessions and a goal), East Perth in round eight (25 possessions and 3 goals), Swan Districts in round 11 (32 possessions and 2 goals), and Subiaco in round 12 (34 possessions, 10 marks and a goal), 

At West Perth he ranked second for total possessions (420), third for possessions per game (27), first for total marks (98), fourth for total tackles (78) and third for goals (18).