Wednesday 1 September 2010
A midfielder will win the Grogan Medal on Monday night, it is simply a question of which one.
Onballers, including ruckmen, have dominated Grogan voting over the last decade and the abundance of quality running players in the competition will provide the winner again.
Southport skipper Danny Wise heads the list of candidates when votes are read out at the Legends Room at the Gabba on Monday.
Wise has finished second twice and third once in his last four seasons with the Sharks since returning from a successful stint in the SANFL.
He was in blistering form through the middle stages of the season, although he appeared to carry an injury through the last month.
His biggest issue could be teammates taking votes from him, with Darren Pfeiffer’s bright red boots and brilliant running ability certain to have caught the eye.
In fact, a Wise-Pfeiffer quinella would be no surprise.
Labrador won the most games for the season and should attract plenty of votes, although they will likely be shared around.
Matt Clarke started and finished the season superbly, although a flat spot through the middle might harm his chances.
Don’t rule out quality rover Todd Featherstone from winning a second medal to go with his 2007 Grogan win.
The quality little man has played every game and been ultra consistent in 2010.
Barnstorming finishers Mt Gravatt are unlikely to produce the winner given their poor first half of the year.
Josh Vearing was a standout but in some big losses, then got hurt when the season was righting itself.
Jake Furfaro has been tremendously consistent throughout but the fact he is a defender is unlikely to help his cause.
Morningside centre-half-back Aaron Rogers has enjoyed a wonderful winter since moving from the ACT and does show plenty of dash, although again he is in the wrong part of the ground and may not be recognizable enough in his first season in the competition.
Nathan Kinch, the diminutive 2008 winner, is a ‘smokey’ given his dash off half-back. The fact that Kinch has played so many good games against serial competition benchmark shows just what a quality player he is.
Co-captain Jacob Gough will start strongly but fade, while Damien Bonney could start slowly but come home with a rush.
Cameron Ilett has been the undoubted star of the NT Thunder campaign, but is ineligible due to a minor striking charge that did not even warrant a suspension.
The winner is likely to come from a top four side, although hard-working Redland skipper Phil Carse should not be discounted.
Carse works tremendously hard and is always in the mix of best players for the Bombers.
Aspley recruits Matt Shir and Jamie Sheahan should also poll well, but the Hornets’ seven wins might not given them enough ‘three votes’ to aid their cause.
