VFL Mulrooney Medal & AFL Canberra Team of the Year 2010

[ugg]

The Mulrooney Medal (AFL Canberra B&F) is being awarded tomorrow night (Tuesday 14th September). Let's have a look at the chances of a Swan winning it.

History

• David Spriggs won the medal in 2006 with 23 votes, Tim Schmidt finishing 3rd with 19.
• Jarred Moore succeeded Spriggs by winning the medal in 2007, beating teammate Ryan Brabazon by 23 votes to 18.
• Matt O'Dwyer was the top polling Swan in 2008 (10 votes), likewise Taylor Gilchrist in 2009 (9 votes)
• There was a 3 way tie last year between Chad Gibson (Eastlake), Mitch Daniher (Queanbeyan) and Craig Healy (Tuggeranong) who all finished on 13 votes.

This Year

• Sam Reid and Dylan McNeil were both named in the best list 11 times (out of 18 games), followed by Daniel Currie 9, Patty Veszpremi 8, Matt O'Dwyer & Nathan Gordon 7
• Their competition includes Rowan Andrews (Ainslie) 13, Toby Conroy (Queanbeyan) 12, Jay Kickett (Tuggeranong) 11, David Love (Ainslie) 11, James Rice (Tuggeranong) 11

Summary
Like the Brownlow, very much a midfielder's medal. Chad Gibson the Demons ruckman did win it last year but with a surprisingly low number of votes. Reid's eye-catching high-leaping and strong-marking style may catch the eyes of the umpires, but McNeil's in-and-under work may not be so attractive to the umpires' eyes. The Reserves winning 11 games this year, compared to the 7 in 2009 will also enhance the chances of a Swan winner.

[ugg]

Mitch Daniher (Queanbeyan) won the medal on 17, ahead of Rob Shirley (Ainslie) and Marcus Crook (Ainslie) 16. I'm still trying to find the full vote count to see how the Swans went.

Meanwhile, the AFL Canberra Team of the year was also named and it contained 4 Swans!

 B     Simon Curtis (Belconnen)      John Van Meurs (Eastlake)      David Love (Ainslie)
HB     Marcus Crook (Ainslie)        [B]Sam Reid (Sydney)[/B]              Matthew Hearn (Ainslie)
 C     Toby Conroy (Queanbeyan)      [B]Dylan McNeil (Sydney)[/B]          Leigh McMahon (Eastlake)
HF     [B]Trent Dennis-Lane (Sydney)[/B]    James Kavanagh (Queanbeyan)    Dean Roulstone (Eastlake)
 F     Nick Paine (Ainslie)          Mark Armstrong (Queanbeyan)    Jay Kickett (Tuggeranong)
 R     Rowan Andrews (Ainslie)       James Rice (Tuggeranong)       Josh Jennings (Belconnen)

Int    Rob Shirley (Ainslie)         [B]Patrick Veszpremi (Sydney)[/B]     
       Chad Gibson (Eastlake)        Mitch Daniher (Queanbeyan)

TDL played only 11 out of 18 games but kicked the second highest number of goals on average. Daniel Currie was stiff to miss out but he had great competition in 2 former Adelaide Crows Rowan Andrews and Chad Gibson.

[Primmy]

Thanks ugg. Champion data bloke you.

[Jesse Richards]

Thanks, ugg. Do we know if Swans Reserves are playing in the Canberra competition next year?

[dimelb]

Thanks again ugg - fine job you do.
Looking at those Crows I wonder if there are more players in the comp with an AFL club background; if so, it would seem that the comp's improving in quality.

[goswannies]

How can Mitch Daniher win the medal, but only be named on the interchange of the Team of the Year?!

Is he related to our Danihers?

[ugg]

How can Mitch Daniher win the medal, but only be named on the interchange of the Team of the Year?!

Is he related to our Danihers?

Team is voted by the 6 coaches plus the ACT rep coach and the competition managing director. The Mulrooney is by the umpires.

[SimonH]

IIRC Ryan Lewis won the Mulrooney one year (musta been 2005, feels more recent than that) and never made the rep team (or TOTY, one of the two) at all. Somewhat embarrassing, but nothing stopping it from happening.

When was the last player to win the Brownlow but not score AA selection? It must have happened at some stage (it certainly would have happened regularly in the pre-AFL era).

[ugg]

Thanks, ugg. Do we know if Swans Reserves are playing in the Canberra competition next year?

Sounds like it, along with GWS

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/sport/football-australian-rules/izzy-going-to-be-chucked-in-at-the-deep-end/1943272.aspx

[AnnieH]

Team GWS has all but confirmed it will enter a team in the AFL Canberra competition next year before sending its reserves into the North-East Australian Football League, which will contain teams from the ACT, NSW, Queensland and the NT, in 2012.

Ugg, do you reckon we'll be playing in this "new comp" come 2012??

As of last night ACT4GWS had reached 2740 members out of its target of 5000.

Some young, cute bloke tried to sell me a membership last week.
Lucky he was cute is all I can say.

[ugg]

I think the whole point of the new comp is to accomodate us! (and the other 3 AFL sides)

[ugg]

Finally, we have the full votes in the Mulrooney Medal count.

• Veszpremi 8 (8th overall)
• O'Dwyer 7
• Sumner 6, TDL 6
• Gordon 5, McNeil 5
• Rohan 4
• Pyke 3, Barlow 3, Currie 3, McKaigue 3, Reid 3
• Johnston 2, Emery 2, White 2
• Richards 1, Heath 1, Jetta 1, Meredith 1

[unconfuseme]

ACT Umpires, true to form ...

[dimelb]

Finally, we have the full votes in the Mulrooney Medal count.

• Veszpremi 8 (8th overall)
• O'Dwyer 7
• Sumner 6, TDL 6
• Gordon 5, McNeil 5
• Rohan 4
• Pyke 3, Barlow 3, Currie 3, McKaigue 3, Reid 3
• Johnston 2, Emery 2, White 2
• Richards 1, Heath 1, Jetta 1, Meredith 1

To my admittedly inexpert eye, it looks just like the Brownlow: another mids medal.

[Jesse Richards]

Sounds like it, along with GWS

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news...d/1943272.aspx

Thanks, ugg. GWS won't be required to use top ups, I suspect (only required after consecutive Premierships and being impossible to beat). I confess to a pathological hatred of all things GWS and really, really detest the GWS ads on Canberra TV. But it will be good (for me and best footy buddy) to see the Swans Reserves locally again next year.