Last Sunday saw AFL Darling Downs celebrate the region’s 2019 Youth Competition and it’s award winners in a huge weekend of junior football which included the Junior End of Year Carnival.
Over 120 people packed out the Norfolk Room of Concordia College, the base of AFL Queensland Darling Downs, which saw awards presented to participants in the Under 12, Under 14 and Under 17 Youth Girls competitions, as well as recognising the region’s top coaches.
Noah Brownlie from South Toowoomba took out the Peltz Medal for the Under 12 Best and Fairest in his first year of AFL, edging out Toowoomba’s Jackson Stewart by just one vote. Brownlie’s teammate Hugo Le Lievre won the leading goal kicker award, booting 29 majors for the season.
The Under 14 individual awards we dominated by the Chinchilla Suns, with Lara Paget taking out the leading goal kicker award with 34 goals for the season and also finishing runner up in the Col Wells Medal count. Fellow Suns teammate Patrick Dolbel won the Col Wells Medal by a convincing 9 vote margin to be crowned the best and fairest Under 14 player.
The Under 17 Youth Girls vote count came down to the final round of the season, with Elisa Niki of Downlands College and Nyengela Mwajuma of University both finishing atop the Best and Fairest leader board on 10 votes. South Toowoomba’s Sarah Browne was the competitions runner up, whilst Downlands’ Lakeisha Pascoe took out the leading goal kicker award.
Warwick’s Joshua Read was awarded the Junior Coach of the Year for his tireless work in developing the Roys, Under 8s and 10s space at the Redbacks, whilst Adeyle McHardy was recognised the region’s Female Coach of the Year for her outstanding work at the helm of the Dalby Swans under 14s. Andrew McDonagh of South Toowoomba took out the Youth Coach of the Year honour, with his outstanding work both on and off the field with his Under 12s, highlighted by his work in engaging new indigenous participants with Australian Rules.
2019 AFL Darling Downs Junior Awards Winners
Under 12
Peltz Medal (Best and Fairest) – Noah Brownlie (South Toowoomba)
Runner Up – Jackson Stewart (Toowoomba)
Leading Goal Kicker – Hugo Le Lievre (South Toowoomba)
Under 14
Col Wells Medal (Best & Fairest) – Patrick Dolbel (Chinchilla)
Runner Up – Lara Paget (Chinchilla)
Leading Goal Kicker – Lara Paget (Chinchilla)
Under 17 Youth Girls
Best and Fairest – Elisa Niki (Downlands College) and Nyengela Mwajuma (University)
Runner Up – Sarah Browne (South Toowoomba)
Leading Goal Kicker – Lakeisha Pascoe (Downlands College)
Volunteer Awards
Youth Coach of the Year – Andrew McDonagh (South Toowoomba)
Junior Coach of the Year – Joshua Read (Warwick Redbacks)
Female Coach of the Year – Adeyle McHardy (Dalby Swans)
Image gallery available here.
Image credit: Sophie Smith Photography
Photos:
- U12 Peltz Medalist Noah Brownlie with AFLDD President Pat Gipps
- U14 Col Wells Medalist Patrick Dolbel with AFLDD Life Members Chris and Kim Thomas
- U17 YG Best and Fairest Medalists Nyengela Mwajuma (L) and Elisa Niki (R) with Runner up Sarah Browne (C)
