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Monday, 13 October 2008 |
2008 Swan Medal
Garth Taylor and Josh Roberts have both won the Swan Medal after they tied with 155 votes for the 2008 season.
The Fairest and Best title was awarded to the pair at the Swan Districts Football Club’s Swan Medal Count on Saturday night.
The proud pair shared the stage for the acceptance of their awards, speeches (mainly taken over by Taylor) and photos and raised their glasses for the toast. T
aylor was happy with his win, but kept a level head and said he didn’t want to brag so he let his wife make the phone calls to his family.
Taylor also took the award as a tribute to the team, more than an individual effort.
“This was the most exciting season I have ever played in,” he said.
Taylor was ahead of Roberts by five votes at Round 20, but the climb into the finals gave Roberts a chance to equal the score.
Roberts shone in the finals getting 25 disposals in the Preliminary Final against West Perth and 20 disposals and two goals in the Grand Final against Subiaco earned him the award for League Player of the Finals.
League coach, Brian Dawson, led the team to the finals in his first year as coach and said in his speech he told the team throughout the year to make the game exciting for the crowd, but sometimes the scores were too close. He described the crowd support as “electric.”
Dawson hopes to bring the Swans into the Grand Final for the 2009 season with the possiblity of a better final result.
“We can build on what we achieved this year,” he said.
The runner-up Fairest and Best went to Brett Robinson with 129 votes and Brett Wolfenden in third position with 123 votes. Brett Wolfenden also walked away with the Rookie of the Year award.
Chris Yarran received the Ted Holdsworth Memorial Shield as the league’s leading goal kicker.
The Fairest and Best winner for the Colts was Jarred Blight while Keith Della Vedova won the title for the Reserves.
The night was fun-filled with dinner, dessert and drinks for all who attended. The winners and presenters were escorted onto the stage by the gorgeous Miss Swan Districts winner and second runner-up. And everyone dressed up for the special occasion, with some players unrecognisable in the formal attire.
Melissa "Frizz" Ferguson
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