Bold, brave move to join Perth pays off in spades for TropianoWednesday, September 23, 2015 - 2:23 AM - by Chris Pike

ALL Aidan Tropiano was craving was an opportunity as a midfielder when he made the move to join Perth from East Fremantle midway through the 2014 WAFL season and that decision has paid off in spades with him having a Sandover Medal, Butcher Medal and State jumper to show for it.

Tropiano played 36 games with East Fremantle between 2011 and 2014, but since joining Perth just after the halfway mark of last season the now 23-year-old has proven himself as one of the hardest working and biggest ball-winning midfielders in the competition.

After leading the WAFL by far in possessions and clearances for the season, and being the most consistent performer across the board, Tropiano won the Sandover Medal in a thrilling count on Monday night one vote ahead of South Fremantle's Ashton Hams and four ahead of Subiaco's Sam Menegola.

It was a tremendous reward for Tropiano who continued to perform strongly throughout the season despite playing in a Perth team that won just two matches.

Now at the end of 2015 he has played for Western Australia in a State game victory over South Australia, claimed Perth's fairest and best award and is the Sandover Medallist as the WAFL's fairest and best player.

Having come through the colts at East Fremantle and doing an apprenticeship in the reserves for the majority of the 2011 and 2012 seasons, he was able to cement a place in the Sharks side during 2013.

He finished that season in good form averaging 24 possessions in the last seven matches, but a permanent position on the midfield wasn’t easy to lockdown up against the likes of Rory O'Brien, Jamie McNamara, Mark McGough, Richard Hadley, Bradd Dalziell and Cameron Eardley.

Tropiano still played the first six games in the league side to start 2014 at East Fremantle, but once he found himself back in the reserves for a month it was becoming obvious that he might not have been part of then coach Steve Malaxos' plans in the Sharks' midfield.

Rather than continue to fight against the tide at East Fremantle, Tropiano took the bold and brave move to switch clubs midway through the season and he found himself at Perth, and showed signs of the form he delivered all of this year in the last eight games of 2014 averaging 26 touches.

Given that form and then his remarkable work rate through the pre-season, Perth put the faith in Tropiano to build its midfield around for 2015 and while the rest of the side under coach Earl Spalding is still a work in progress heading towards 2016, he couldn’t possibly have done more.

Tropiano had a remarkably consistent season in a team that won just two matches and he never had a quiet afternoon. A quiet game for him was 28 possessions in Round 21 but throughout the season he averaged over 32 touches a game.

To end up leading the league in possessions and clearances, to play for WA and to now be a Butcher Medal and Sandover Medal winner means that Tropiano is delighted with the move to Perth despite being thankful for the start to his WAFL career provided by East Fremantle.

"It's pretty hard to explain but it's been an awesome transition and Perth has been really welcoming to me, and the club has helped me to develop as a person and footballer. I'm very lucky to be at the club and I thank them very much for the opportunity," Tropiano said following the victory.

"They have both been amazing clubs to me and they have both taught me so much, and it's been a privilege to play for both. Perth has given me an opportunity in a different role and I thank them for the opportunity."

Following being named the Sandover Medal winner for 2015, Tropiano gave a memorable speech to the packed Crown Perth Grand Ballroom as well.

"I'd like to thank the Sandover family. It's a privilege and an honour to wear the Sandover Medal around my neck and to be honest I still can't believe it, and I never thought I'd get the opportunity but I very much appreciate it," Tropiano said during his speech.

"Thank you very much too to the umpires for voting for me. Obviously it's a pretty hard job out there with all the exceptional talents but thank you very much. And I'd like to thank the Perth footy club for getting me over a year and-a-half ago. It's been the best move of my career to date and I thank them for the opportunity they have presented to me.

"To my Perth footy boys, I know we didn’t have a great season this year, but we are growing and learning, and for me it's been an amazing season making a lot of new mates and experiencing some amazing times on and off the field. I couldn’t have won this award without you guys.

"I'd also like to thank my family who has been a massive part of my footy career, and my life as well. My brother's (former East Fremantle big man Kurt) here with me to support me and without him none of this would even be possible.

"My sister as well is my No. 1 fan and most people can hear her screaming from the boundary line. Last but not least, my parents have been absolutely incredible all through my life and without them honestly I wouldn’t be the person I am today."

While Tropiano made a flying start to the count polling 31 votes in the first 11 games to be the runaway leader, it turned out be a thrilling finish and it was Hams who was three votes ahead with two matches remaining.

However, Tropiano was able to chase him down firstly with four votes against Peel Thunder in Round 22 and then to claim the lead, and the win, with another four votes against his old side East Fremantle in Round 23.

Tropiano was quick to recognise the quality of the players he was able to finish in front of and that only made the victory mean even more for him.

"It was nerve-racking and I didn’t expect to poll as well as I did, but congratulations to Hamsy and Sammy on their great years. Any one of them could have taken it out but I was lucky enough to," Tropiano said.

"It's pretty awesome to win but those boys probably deserve it just as me and they had great seasons, and are exceptional talents.

"I was definitely pretty nervous all through the night with a lot of guys in the room who had exceptional years, so credit to them, and any of them could have ended up on the stage.

"I didn’t think I would be up there that far given the other great players this year, but when it got closer and closer, it got quite and intense and I was nervous with it all, but it's a big privilege and honour to win the medal."