Ahead of the Youth Grand Finals, the best and fairest players, as well as the leading goalkickers from the youth divisions of the 2020/21 TIO NTFL competition were recognised in a special awards ceremony this afternoon at the Michael Long Learning and Leadership Centre.
This year also saw the addition of the first AFLNT crowned Junior Umpire of the Year. 14-year-old Joshua Cooper was recognised for his strong dedication to umpiring and improvement over this 2020/2021 TIO NTFL season. While balancing playing footy for Nightcliff Tigers in his second year of umpiring, he has moved from umpiring U12 competitions through to both U18 grades.
These Youth player awards highlight the current achievements as well as identify future stars of the NTFL competition, with past winners going on to play senior Premier League football and being selected for NT representative honours.
After each game during the season, the field umpires voted 3-2-1 for who they deemed to be the best players of the game. Throughout the home and away season the votes are tallied, and any player who has not served a match suspension is eligible to win the division’s respective best and fairest medal.
Each team also enter their goalkickers after each game, and the leading goalkicker for the division will be the player who kicked the most goals after the last round of the home and away season.
Nightcliff’s full forward Xavier Singh Lippo took out the Abala Medal for the best and fairest player in the Under 18 Boys division while also debuting in Senior Men’s divisions this season. Wanderers player Mark White lead the goalkicking in this division with a whopping 42 majors.
In the Under 18 Girls division, Darwin Buffettes Freda Wosomo won Best and Fairest this season after coming in third last year. St Mary’s Madison Harris took out the leading goal scorer.
For Under 16 Hickman, St Mary’s Edwin Nyembo was able to take out the Best and Fairest award before fracturing his foot on the field this season. Wanderers’ John Friel took out the leading goal kicker for the grade.
Nightcliff dominated the Under 16 Leverence tallies with Jone Garawirrtja awarded Best and Fairest Medal and Colin Garawirrtja winning the leading goal scorer.
Standout of the season, St Mary’s star Emma Stark was awarded both the Under 15 Girls Best and Fairest Sharyn Smith Medal and the leading goal kicking award for her incredible 54 majors, while also dominating the entire Youth goalkicking leader board.
Tracy Village led the way in the Under 15 Girls Division 2 with Amber Wunungmurra winning Best and Fairest award and Kenisha Munyarryun kicking a massive 38 goals this season.
Nightcliff’s Jaedon Hocking won the Under 14 Gundersen Best and Fairest medal and Taj Murray tallied 21 goals for the same club.
At only 11 years old, Nightcliff’s Isaac Peris took out the Under 14 Lew Fatt Best and Fairest medal and Bank’s player Alexander Zec tallied 29 goals and took out the leading goal scorer award.
AFLNT congratulates all winners on their outstanding performance in the 2020/21 TIO NTFL season.
The Nichols Medal for the senior divisions will take place next Sunday 14 March.
Winners at 2020/21 TIO NTFL Youth Presentation:
Under 18 Boys
Xavier Singh Lippo – 11 votes (Abala Medal) – Nightcliff Football Club
Mark White – 42 goals – Wanderers Football Club
Under 18 Girls
Freda Wosomo – 23 votes (Under 18 Girls Medal)– Darwin Buffaloes Football Club
Madison Harris – 28 goals – St Mary’s Football Club
Under 16 Hickman
Edwin Nyembo – 16 votes (Hickman Medal) – St Mary’s Football Club
John Friel – 29 goals – Wanderers Football Club
Under 16 Leverence
Jone Garawirrtja – 10 votes (Leverence Medal) – Nightcliff Football Club
Colin Garawirrtja – 18 goals – Nightcliff Football Club
Under 15 Girls
Emma Stark – 29 votes (Sharyn Smith Medal) – St Mary’s Football Club
Emma Stark – 54 goals – St Mary’s Football Club
Under 15 Girls – Div 2
Amber Wunungmurra – 11 votes (U15 Girls Div 12 Medal) – Tracy Village Football Club
Kenisha Munyarryun – 38 goals – Tracy Village Football Club
Under 14 Gundersen
Jaedon Hocking – 12 votes (Gunderson Medal) – Nightcliff Football Club
Taj Murray – 21 goals – Nightcliff Football Club
Under 14 Lew Fatt
Isaac Peris – 18 votes (Lew Fatt Medal) – Nightcliff Football Club
Alexander Zec – 29 goals – Banks Football Club
Junior Umpire of the Year
Joshua Cooper
