The Big Rivers Football League (BRFL) best and fairest night has taken place at the Nitmiluk Visitor Centre with local youngster Jaimie Bryant taking home the top women's award and talented import, Cameron Arnold picking up the prestigious Doug Kelly Medal in the men's competition.
At 24-years-of-age, Arnold has thoroughly enjoyed his first football season in the NT with the Katherine Camels in the BRFL, playing seven games and booting 26 goals in the regular season.
Along with a few stints through the middle of the ground, Arnold was often recognised as his team's best performer and is sure to feature in next Saturday's Grand Final.
Arnold collected 14 votes for his efforts, finishing three clear of Katherine South's Josiah Farrer who ended with 11.
At only 17-years-of-age, it's hard to believe that Bryant has only been playing footy for two years and now finds herself as a rising star of Territory footy.
She finished the count on 11 votes, one-vote ahead of Huai Haerewa of the Arnhem Crows and Eliza Morrison from Tindal Magpies
An outside midfielder who is known for the pressure she puts on the ball carrier and the big tackles she lays, Bryant has been one of the driving forces behind Katherine South's positive turn in fortune, also playing seven home and away season games.
The other individual award on the night was the inaugural BRFL Golden Whistle, which was awarded to the best umpire as voted by the clubs and their coaches.
Samuel Cunningham, in his third season umpiring BRFL matches, was recognised for the professional manner in which he officiated each weekend.
Congratulations also goes to the Tindal Magpies on winning the Most Professional Club Award for 2020.
2020 BRFL Doug Kelly Medal Night leaderboards
Senior Women’s Best and Fairest
Jaimie Bryant – Katherine South – 11 votes
Huai Haerewa – Arnhem Crows – 10 votes
Eliza Morrison – Tindal Magpies – 10 votes
Grace Murphy – Tindal Magpies – 7 votes
Billie Byers – Eastside – 7 votes
Senior Men’s Doug Kelly Medal
Cameron Arnold – Katherine Camels – 14 votes
Josiah Farrer – Katherine South – 11 votes
Gabriel Henry – Kalano Bombers – 10 votes
Kurtley Silver – Ngukurr Bulldogs – 10 votes
William Farrer – Katherine South – 9 votes
Golden Whistle – Samuel Cunningham
Most Professional Club – Tindal Magpies
About Doug Kelly
Often referred to as “Mr Top End Football”, Douglas George Kelly, first started playing with Wanderers Football Club Colts as a 14-year-old in 1964 and played over 250 League games.
Doug was a member of Wanderers in the NTFL grand final teams in 1980/81 and 1984/85 and claimed NT football’s ultimate prize twice as a member of the Wanderers premiership teams in 1981/82 and 1982/83.
Doug also spent a number seasons in the CAFL playing for South Alice Springs and Federal.
He proudly represented the NT in a game against Mt Isa in 1971-72 and Queensland in 1972-73.
Residing in Katherine for much of his career it is estimated that Doug travelled the astonishing equivalent of one and half times around the world to play in his estimated 400 senior games in all grades and competitions! It is fitting that each year the medal presented to the best and fairest in the men's competition of the BRFL is named in his honour.
Doug was a key member of Katherine Football Club’s NTFL Reserve Grade Premiership team in 1985/86 and was joint best and fairest in the same year. Doug also played 13 games with the Katherine Football Club in the 1987/88 NTFL season.
Doug also played 70 games with Eastside Football Club in the then-named Katherine Districts Football League (KDFL) and was a member of the club's 1990/91 and 1993/94 premiership teams.
Doug was Eastside’s Leading Goal Kicker three times and won the KDFL’s leading goalkicker award with 63 goals in 1992/93.
Doug’s immense contribution to Territory football was recognised in 1986 when he was made an NTFL Player Life Member in 1989 and in 2012 an AFLNT Hall of Fame inductee.