Labrador’s Wayde Mills and Palm Beach Currumbin’s Jason Burge have tied for the 2017 Grogan Medal in a thrilling count at the Gabba on Sunday night.
The duo polled 19 votes, followed by Bryce Retzlaff from Labrador and Tyler Cornish from Palm Beach Currumbin on 15.
Josh Woolley from the Lions finished fifth on 12 votes, ahead of Tigers Adam Clarke and Jake Goldsmith and Mt Gravatt’s Jesse Green on 11.
Burge, in his first season of QAFL footy since finishing up with the Southport Sharks in the NEAFL, hasn’t missed a beat in 2017. He has been rock solid in the Lions midfield this year, collecting plenty of the football and using it with precision, despite receiving a lot of attention from opposition sides.
It was a relatively slow start for the tough midfielder, receiving just two votes in the first five rounds, before storming home with nine votes from the last six games.
Mills on the other hand, started in a rush with 10 votes in the first five rounds and was in front at round 12, before Burge managed to square the count.
The tall defender set up behind the ball all season and countlessly intercepted forays into the Tigers’ defensive fifty. Mills also kick-started a lot of Labrador’s rebound run, feeding his teammates with the ball and keeping a cool head under pressure.
Mills’ impressive attributes were again noticed by the coaches, who awarded the former Brisbane Lion with the Syd Guildford MVP trophy, for the second year in a row.
As well as finishing third on the goal kicking table, Sam Stubbs claimed the QAFL Rising Star after an exciting 2017 in the Vultures’ forward line.
Labrador’s Bryce Retzlaff took out the Ray Hughson Medal, as the QAFL’s leading goal kicker, with 60 goals.
Palm Beach Currumbin and Labrador boasted the leading number of representatives in the QAFL team of the year, with five and six respectively.
Jake Dignan, Jesse Derrick, Josh Woolley, Jason Burge and Tyler Cornish were all selected for Palm Beach Currumbin, while Labrador had Adam Clarke, Wayde Mills, Bill Hicks, Bryce Retzlaff, Jayden Young and Zachery Brain in the side.
Benji Neal, Evan Panozza and Luke Shreeve flew the flag for Broadbeach, while Campbell Wearne, Ryley Buntain and Peter Mollison represented Morningside.
Mt Gravatt had two players make the side, in Joseph Murphy and Samuel Stubbs, while Western Magpies’ Charlie Pershouse, Surfers Paradise’s Brody Haberfield and Wilston Grange’s Matthew Trewhella were the sole representatives from their clubs.
Thanks to his work fostering an exceptional environment for young talent, as well as an impressive year that saw the Broadbeach Cats make it to the preliminary final, coach Brett Andrews received the QAFL coach of the year award.
The QAFL once again shared the spotlight with the Bond University QWAFL awards, highlighting some of Queensland’s top female footballers.
After a successful AFLW season, Yeronga’s Kate McCarthy took out the Bond University QWAFL Best and Fairest, finishing the count on 15 votes.
In just her second season with the Devils, the lightning fast midfielder kicked 18 goals from her ten games on the way to winning a Bond University QWAFL premiership. McCarthy put in some exceptional performances over the journey, with 12 of her 15 votes coming from three-vote efforts.
Close behind McCarthy was Yeronga teammate Emily Bates on 12 votes, followed by Leah Kaslar from Coolangatta Tweed and Tahlia Randall from Wilston Grange, tied on 11 votes.
Randall had a brilliant year and was also crowned the Bond University QWAFL Rising Star for her efforts, ahead of Gabby Collingwood from the University of Queensland.
Jade Ransfield from Yeronga and Maddison Peeters from Wilston Grange shared the Bond University QWAFL Goal Kicking Award, with 39 goals apiece. It’s now the second year in a row that Ransfield, an inaugural Brisbane Lion AFLW player, has tied for the Bond University QWAFL Goal Kicking Award.
Yeronga had the most Bond University QWAFL Team of the Year representatives, with five, ahead of Wilston Grange, The University of Queensland and Coorparoo with four each.
Coolangatta was the next best with two, while Maroochydore had just the one.
David Bartlett from the Western Magpies was named State Volunteer of the Year. In his 34 years of volunteering with the club, Bartlett has done everything from coaching, cooking and handyman work.
Yeronga’s Julie Bates was awarded the Bond University QWAFL Volunteer of the Year, while David Bartlett picked up his second accolade of the night, taking home the QAFL Club Volunteer of the Year award.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS
Grogan Medal
Jason Burge (Palm Beach Currumbin), Wayde Mills (Labrador) 19 votes
Syd Guildford Trophy
Wayde Mills (Labrador)
QAFL Rising Star
Sam Stubbs (Mt Gravatt)
Ray Hughson Medal (QAFL Leading Goal Kicker)
Bryce Retzlaff (Labrador) 60 goals
Bill Clerke Medal (QAFL Reserves Best and Fairest)
Billy Lambert (Morningside) 17 votes
QAFL Reserves Leading Goal Kicker|
Michael Graham (Morningside) 48 goals
QAFL Colts Leading Goal Kicker
Bayden Goff (Morningside) 36 Goals
QAFL Coach of the year
Brett Andrews (Broadbeach)
QAFL Team of the Year
B: Brody Haberfield (Surfers Paradise), Jayden Young (Labrador), Campbell Wearne (Morningside)
HB: Josh Woolley (Palm Beach Currumbin), Wayde Mills (Labrador), Ryley Buntain (Morningside)
C: Adam Clarke (Labrador), Jason Burge (Palm Beach Currumbin), Jesse Derrick (Palm Beach Currumbin)
HF: Jake Dignan (Palm Beach Currumbin), Bryce Retzlaff (Labrador), Luke Shreeve (Broadbeach)
F: Zachery Brain (Labrador), Samuel Stubbs (Mt Gravatt), Matthew Trewhella (Wilston Grange)
Foll: Peter Mollison (Morningside), Bill Hicks (Labrador), Joseph Murphy (Mt Gravatt)
Int: Evan Panozza (Broadbeach), Benji Neal (Broadbeach), Charlie Pershouse (Western Magpies), Tyler Cornish (Palm Beach Currumbin)
Bond University QWAFL Best and Fairest
Kate McCarthy (Yeronga)
Bond University QWAFL Leading Goal kicker
Jade Ransfield (Yeronga), Maddison Peeters (Wilston Grange) 39 goals
Bond University QWAFL Rising Star
Tahlia Randall (Wilston Grange)
Bond University QWAFL Coach of the Year
Phil Lovett (University of QLD)
Bond University QWAFL Team of the Year
B: Renee Cowan (Yeronga South Brisbane), Leah Kaslar (Coolangatta Tweed), Shannon Campbell (Maroochydore)
HB: Kate Lutkins (Wilston Grange), Jessi Henning (UQ), Emma Pittman (UQ)
C: Megan Hunt (UQ)
HF: Kate McCarthy (Yeronga South Brisbane), Jade Ransfield (Yeronga South Brisbane), Brittany Gibson (Coorparoo)
F: Tarni White (Coorparoo), Maddison Peeters (Wilston Grange), Jessica Wuetschner (Coorparoo)
Foll: Tahlia Randall (Wilston Grange), Emily Bates (Yeronga South Brisbane), Jamie Stanton (Wilston Grange)
Int: Bethany Pinchin (Coolangatta Tweed), Samantha Virgo (Yeronga South Brisbane), Zoe Lattanzi (Coolangatta Tweed), Emma Zielke (Coorparoo), Maddy Roberts (Coolangatta Tweed), Gabrielle Collingwood, (UQ)
State Volunteer of the Year
David Bartlett (Western Magpies)
QWAFL Volunteer of the Year
Julie Bates (Yeronga)
QAFL Club Volunteer of the Year
David Bartlett (Western Magpies)
Colts Volunteer of the Year
Glen Pierce (Surfers Paradise)
QWAFL Club Administrator of the Year
Michael Gibson (Coorparoo)
QAFL Club Administrator of the Year
Dale Perkins (Broadbeach)
Jo Butland Medal (Women’s Representative Player of the Year)
Maddy Roberts (Coolangatta)
Zane Taylor Medal (Men’s Representative Player of the Year)
Jayden Young (Labrador)
Senior Representative Coach of the Year
Wayne Brittain
Assistant Talent Coach of the Year
Heidi Thompson (Brisbane Lions Academy)
Youth Talent Coach of the Year
Jared Marsh (Brisbane Lions Academy)
QAFL Goal of the Year
Daniel Day (Sandgate)
QAFL Mark of the Year
Josh Woolley (Palm Beach Currumbin)
