Payne caps off big year with Royals by winning FD Book MedalFriday, October 3, 2014 - 12:50 PM - by Chris Pike

STEVEN Payne took his football to elite levels in 2014 for East Perth on a wing and that was rewarded on Thursday night when the 24-year-old claimed the FD Book Medal as the Royals' fairest and best winner.

East Perth had a dominant 2014 home and away season losing just four matches and finishing two games clear on top of the ladder to claim the minor premiership before then beating Subiaco in the second semi-final but losing the grand final to the Lions.

As a result there was a host of terrific performers throughout the season for the Royals meaning the FD Book Medal was a tightly-contested affair, but it was Payne who prevailed in the finish to claim his first fairest and best award ahead of regular top-three finisher Craig Wulff.

Payne finished the count on 63 votes to win by three ahead of Wulff with Nathan Blee (58), Paul Johnson (56), Fraser McInnes (56), Mitchell Fraser (55), Brendan Lee (55), Freddie Clutterbuck (49) and Brett Dobson (48) rounding out the top 10 placings.

Payne did emerge in 2013 as a key player in East Perth's team averaging over 18 disposals a game but went another level further with his game in 2014.

The 24-year-old averaged 25.1 possessions a game in 2014 with a low of 12 in Round 5, but only three times did he slip under 20 with highs of 35 in Round 21, 32 in Round 10, 32 in Round 18 and 30 in Round 7.

His consistent ball-winning performances were rewarded as he became the East Perth fairest and best winner in a grand final year.

Wulff wasn’t far behind, though, with the 246-game co-captain continuing his remarkably consistent and top-level form with the Royals as the 31-year-old shows no signs of slowing down.

Splitting his time through half-forward and the middle throughout 2014, Wulff averaged 25.2 possessions a game again during the season and kicked a career-high 18 goals for the year.

It is the third time in the last six years where Wulff has finished second in the running for the Book Medal while he also won the fairest and best award in 2010.

There were a host of other impressive performers for East Perth during 2014 including attacking defender Blee who returned to the Royals after two years with Port Adelaide, and not only did well defensively but also averaged over 20 disposals a game.

Johnson has been the standout ruckman in the WAFL since he joined East Perth following the end of his AFL career and he again had a solid 2014 finishing fourth in fairest and best voting after splitting his time between the ruck and being a tall forward.

McInnes was the only West Coast-listed player to finish in the top 10 fairest and best voting after the versatile big man had a solid season usually as a third tall option in attack where he ended up kicking 28 goals and averaging almost 14 disposals.

Fraser continued his development as an emerging small defender to finish sixth in the voting and he is now a 20-year-old who has played in two grand finals and 36 WAFL matches.

Wulff's fellow co-captain Lee might have missed the first six games of the season with a finger injury but was outstanding as soon as he returned averaging almost 27 possessions a game.

Clutterbuck also had a strong season for East Perth averaging over 20 possessions a game while Dobson was also terrific throughout the year in run-with roles either off half-back or through the middle despite not making the grand final team.

Outstanding defender Kyle Anderson received two awards on the night as well taking out the Best Clubman award and also the Ken McAullay Medal as the best player in the grand final for his job at full-back on Subiaco's Matt Boland.

Josh Smith once again was East Perth's leading goalkicker in 2014 kicking 41 goals while Will Maginness was named the Best First Year Player.

Meanwhile, in the reserves Julian Ameduri took out the Eric Smith Medal as the fairest and best player. He polled 50 votes to win by just one ahead of Jackson Slater with Tom Shanahan not far behind on 45 votes and Jacob Payne on 42.

East Perth's colts also had a successful season making the finals and Shayne Hill claimed the Hec Strempel Medal as the fairest and best winner. He polled 57 votes to win ahead of Kester Decke and Kane Haddon who both finished on 53 votes.

FD BOOK MEDAL TOP 10
Steven Payne – 63 votes
Craig Wulff – 60
Nathan Blee – 58
Paul Johnson – 56
Fraser McInnes – 56
Mitchell Fraser – 55
Brendan Lee – 55
Freddie Clutterbuck – 49
Brett Dobson – 48

OTHER AWARD WINNERS
Best Clubman – Kyle Anderson
Ken McAullay Medal (Best Player in Grand Final) – Kyle Anderson
Leading Goalkicker – Josh Smith (41 goals)
George Law Trainers Award – Steven Payne
Best First Year Player – Will Maginness

RESERVES AWARD WINNERS
Eric Smith Medal (fairest and best) – Julian Ameduri
Runner-up – Jackson Slater
Third-place – Tom Shanahan
Fourth-place – Jacob Payne

COLTS AWARD WINNERS
Hec Strempel Medal (fairest and best) – Shayne Hille 
Runners-up – Kester Decke, Kane Haddon
Best Clubman – Ryan Oxtoby
Encouragement Award - Blair Della Franca
Most Courageous Player - Zac Dent 
Education Award - Kobe Chrisp