By football Writer Sam Smythe

South Mildura midfielder Tim McAuley was a surprise winner of the 2015 McLeod Medal held at the Mildura Workingmans Club on Tuesday night.

McAuley, who missed three games mid season through injury, polled two first votes and one secnd vote in the last three games of the season to win the medal by two votes from Ryan Hards of Imperials.

Equal third in the medal count were Mildura team mates Craig Beggs and Mitch Rogerson, who each polled 20 votes.  Shane Crossling of Irymple polled 16 votes  to be fifth in the vote count.

McAuley, who joined the club at the start of the season,  said he was surprised to win the Medal .

“We were disappointed at missing the finals but with a good summer pre-season under coach Craig Davison we should do better next season,” he said.

In te Reserves Holcroft Medal the best and fairest winner for the second time was South Mildura captain Warwick Campbell who polled 18 votes.

Second on 16 votes was Dylan Murphy of Mildura while team mate David Hall finished third with 15 votes,

The A Grade netball best and fairest went to Sherrie Geisler of Irymple on 27 votes from Megan Gray of Imperials on 25 votes.

Joint winners in the Rookie of the year award were Bohde Decker of Mildura and Tom Seaman of South Mildura.

The senior coaches of the year were Mark Alvey and Ryan O’Callaghan of Mildura

The umpires of the year were field umpire Bob Greenwood, boundary umpire Nick Rogerson and Goal Umpire of the year was yet again Col Robson.

A life membership was awarded to former Irymple star Ermes Gobbo, who has been for many years the chairman of the Independent Tribunal.

McLEOD MEDAL:

23 votes – Tim McAuley (South Mildura)

21 – Ryan Hards (Imperials)

20 – Craig Beggs (Mildura), Mitch Rogerson (Mildura)

16- Shane Crossling (Irymple)

HOLCROFT RESERVES MEDAL

18 – Warwick Campbell (South Mildura)

16 – Dylan Murhy (Mildura)

15 – David Hall (Mildura)

A GRADE NETBALL MEDAL

27 – Sherrie Geisler (Irynple

25 – Megan Gray (Imperials)