The 2021 TIO Central Australian Football League’s (CAFL) Minahan Medal has gone the way of Rovers Football Club’s Nigel Lockyer Jnr while West Football Club’s Caitlin Couch earned the Yeperenye Margaret Liddle Medal, both former Cazalys NT Thunder players.
Lockyer Jnr joins a group of illustrious past-winners in claiming the TIO CAFL’s highest individual honour after polling consistently throughout the season, landing on 17 votes and also kicking 44 goals.
It adds to what has already been a stellar year for the skilful and tall forward who also played as part of North Adelaide FC Reserves this South Australian National Football League season.
The newest Yeperenye Margaret Liddle Medal recipient, Couch polled 23 votes, polled two clear of Alkamilya’s Jasmine Boyers in the final Round of the home and away season.
Couch who is widely known for her kicking accuracy and precision commenced participating for West in 2018 after relocating from Swan Districts Football Club in the Western Australia Football League.
In the goalkicker awards, Rovers’ player and former Cazalys NT Thunder Academy player Tyson Woods has won the TIO Seniors Leading Goalkicker prize, after securing 50 goals this season for Rovers. He also kicked 24 goals for Yuendumu and took home the Community Senior Men Leading Goalkicking honour.
16-year-old Kyanne Campbell, also from Rovers has had a stellar year. She kicked 44 goals this season, landing herself in top spot on the Senior Women’s leading goalkicking list and also the prestigious Kev Prior Rising Star award.
The TDC Refrigeration Patrons Medal for the best and fairest players in the Men’s Reserves competition was awarded to Matthew Cunningham from West and Eric Campbell from Rovers after an extremely contested count with a three-way tie for second and a six-way tie for third.
Cunningham did not pole a vote after Round 7 after sustaining a hamstring injury in the second half of the Season. Campbell polled in Round 1 and again in Round 12, leaving the night with the TDC Refrigeration’s Patrons Medal.
With 24 goals for the season, Eric Campbell not only took home the TDC Refrigeration Patrons Medal but he and West’s Joshua Johnny left with Town Reserves Grade Leading Goalkicker silverware.
The top accolade in the Central Desert Regional Council Country Competition, the Best and Fairest Williams/Pareroultja Medal was awarded to Werstern Aranda’s Geoffrey Pareroultja. Agile and electric Pareroultja has played games for Western Aranda as well as West as part of the ‘town’ division.
In the Central Desert Regional Council CAFL Community Under 18 division, Plenty Highway’s Jayden Reiff was awarded both the Wenton Rubuntja Medal for the best player in the competition with 10 votes and also the Leading Goalkicker for booting 24.
In the TIO CAFL Town Under 18 competition, the Big4 Mac Range Caravan Park Muldoon Medal was presented to Rover’s tackline machine Ross Green who polled 14 votes while the TJ Signs Under 18 Junior Men Leading Goalkicker was awarded to Aiden Scrutton from South Alice Springs Football Club for his 38 goals and helped secure the team’s spot in this weekend’s Grand Final.
For the first time in TIO CAFL history, the Under 16 Junior Women’s Best and Fairest award was awarded. 15-year-old crafty midfielder Regan Moldrich from Alkamilya Football Club and Cazalys NT Thunder Academy squad was presented with the honour.
In the Under 16 Junior Women’s Leading Goalkicking, Rovers’ Leshaye Stewart put 36 through the sticks this season and secured her top place.
In the TIO CAFL’s youngest division, the Under 15 Junior Men; the Best and Fairest went to Federal Football Club’s key midfielder and strong kicker Collin Hayes.
The Under 15 Leading Goalkicker was decided with 23 goals with fellow Feds player Keelan Drover claiming the accolade. This season Drover kicked a massive 15 goals in a single game and also plays for Plenty Highway in the Community Under 18’s side and helped them secure their first ever premiership in yesterday’s Grand Final.
The TIO Golden Whistle award for the season’s best umpire was awarded to youngster Nicholas Boffa for his professionalism and positive manner on and off the field this year.
Winners at the 2021 Minahan Medal Best and Fairest:
TIO CAFL Town Senior Men
Minahan Medal – Nigel Lockyer Jnr – Rovers Football Club – 17 votes
Leading Goalkicker – Tyson Woods – Rovers Football Club – 50 goals
TIO CAFL Town Senior Women
Yeperenye Margaret Liddle Medal – Caitlin Couch – West Football Club – 23 votes
Leading Goalkicker – Kyanne Campbell – Rovers Football Club – 44 goals
TIO CAFL Senior Men Reserves Grade
TDC Refrigeration Patrons Medal – Michael Cunningham – West Football Club, and Eric Campbell – Rovers Football Club – 18 votes
Leading Goalkicker – Joshua Johnny – West Football Club, and Eric Campbell – Rovers Football Club – 24 goals
Central Desert Regional Council CAFL Senior Men
Best and Fairest Williams/Pareroultja Medal – Geoffrey Pareroutja – Western Aranda - 17 votes
Leading Goalkicker – Tyson Woods – Yuendumu – 24 goals
TIO CAFL Under 18 Junior Men
Big4 Mac Range Caravan Park Muldoon Medal – Ross Green – Rovers Football Club – 14 votes
TJ Signs Leading Goalkicker – Aiden Scrutton – South Alice Springs Football Club – 38 goals
Central Desert Regional Council CAFL Under 18 Boys
Wenton Rubuntja Medal – Jayden Reiff – Plenty Highway – 10 votes
Leading Goalkicker – Jayden Reiff – Plenty Highway – 24 goals
TIO CAFL Under 16 Junior Women
Best and Fairest – Regan Moldrich – Alkamilya Football Club – 14 votes
Leading Goalkicker – Leshaye Stewart – Rovers Football Club – 36 goals
TIO CAFL Under 15 Junior Men
Best and Fairest – Collin Hayes – Federal Football Club – 11 votes
Leading Goalkicker – Keelan Drover – Federal Football Club – 23 goals
TIO CAFL Kev Prior Rising Star Award
Kyanne Campbell – Rovers Football Club
Harrison Trophy – TBC
TIO Golden Whistle Award – Nicholas Boffa