Sport
14 September, 2023
League honours for young Magpie talent
The Michelsen Medal pre-vote count was held on Monday night, with the lower grades counted prior to the Bendigo Football Netball League’s night of nights, and it was an exciting event for Maryborough’s young talent. Exciting key forward Taj Bond...
The Michelsen Medal pre-vote count was held on Monday night, with the lower grades counted prior to the Bendigo Football Netball League’s night of nights, and it was an exciting event for Maryborough’s young talent.
Exciting key forward Taj Bond was the first winner of the night, taking home the football Bart ‘n’ Print Rising Star award for 2023.
Bond split his time between his commitments for the Magpies with the Bendigo Pioneers this season, and finished second in the under 18s goalkicking, despite playing just 12 games, kicking 40 goals.
That form also saw him enjoy some breakout games at senior level, particularly in the Magpies’ narrow round 12 loss to Kangaroo Flat, where he kicked four goals.
Bond joins brother Lachlan as a winner of the award, as well as former Maryborough player Billy Mahony in 2014, and Richmond superstar Dustin Martin in 2008.
Tom Myers joined him as a winner on the night, taking home the George Symons Medal as the winner of the under 18s best and fairest.
With one round to go, the athletic ruckman led by two votes from Golden Square’s Zac Wescott.
However, Wescott polled two votes in Square’s round 18 win over Kangaroo Flat, leading to a nervy finish.
On the last card of the night, Myers did enough to poll one vote in the Magpies’ 27-point loss to Gisborne to take the medal home.
In one of the most poignant counts of the night, it was only fitting that one of Maryborough’s brightest young netball talents could take home a medal named after a Maryborough great.
Ella Patten polled 30 votes to take home the Carol Sing Medal for a supreme 17 and under season, which saw her control the Magpies’ defensive third.
Teammate Millie Cassidy was also a strong poller throughout the night, finishing 11th with 16 votes.
In B reserve, Chloe Egan led all vote winners with eight votes, while in B grade, Ruby Adams led the way with three votes.
In the reserves vote count, Brad Wootton, Jackson Swan, captain Kellan Maffescioni and Robbie Muscat polled three votes apiece.
The A grade netball and senior football count will be held on Sunday night, where Bond, Myers and Patten will be presented with their trophies.
