The 2022 Sun Cable Big Rivers Football League (BRFL) Doug Kelly Medal Count night took place yesterday evening at the Godinymayin Yikard Rivers Art and Cultural Centre with Katherine Camels’ Ricky Walsh picking up the prestigious Doug Kelly Medal in the men's competition and Katherine South’s Amie Antonello taking home the top women's award.
Katherine Camels’ key rover Ricky Walsh was awarded the Doug Kelly medal with 20 votes, one clear of Arnhem Crows’ Nehemiah Farrell.
Walsh, a junior footy player from Echuca in Northern Victoria played at Lockington Football Club where he took home his club’s and the Heathcote District Football League’s Under 17 best and fairest and continued to play dominantly in the midfield in senior grades before commencing his Sun Cable BRFL campaign this year.
South Katherine Croc Amie Antonello from Myrthleford, Victoria also featured in the Sun Cable BRFL for the first time this season. As a versatile midfielder known for her hard at the footy style of play, Antonello landed on 20 votes, four ahead of Eastside’s Billie Byers.
Prior to relocating to Katherine, Antonello trained with VFLW’s Williamstown and was selected in Hawthorn’s AFLW Academy in November 2021. Antonello was runners up best and fairest in the North-East Border Female Football League in 2021 and for the former club she captained, the Alpine Lions in 2019.
Walsh and Antonello are players to watch in the upcoming 2022 Sun Cable BRFL finals series. The Grand Finals will play on Saturday 3 September.
Congratulations to all other award recipients listed below.
Leading Goal Kickers
Senior Men’s:
Josh Carlin, Katherine Camels, 57 goals
Matthias Liddy, Daly River Buffaloes, 57 goals
Senior Women’s:
Crystal Browne, Eastside, 30 goals
Rising Stars
Senior Men’s:
Michael Watson, Northern Warlpiri Swans
Born and bred in Lajamanu, Watson, 16, played his first Senior Men season for the Northern Warlpiri Swans. Prior to the 2022 season, Watson played for the Central Magpies in the Kiwinyi District Football League. In Round 6 of the Sun Cable BRFL this season, Watson starred for his team and was awarded the NO MORE Medal and in Round 13 was notably instrumental on the wing or across half-back in the Swan’s win over Eastside, particularly in the last quarter. Watson is from an impressive football pedigree; his father Ashley captained the Northern Warlpiri Swans to a premiership in 2007 and is a cousin to former AFL stars Liam Patrick and Liam Jurrah.
Senior Women’s:
Lynelle Ahfat, Arnhem Crows
After turning 16 years old this year, Ahfat played her first year of Senior Women’s football for the Arnhem Crows, landing in the bests six times across the season and finishing a close second on the women’s leading goalkickers list with 25 goals. Ahfat has future ambitions of playing in the Northern Territory Football League in Darwin and has attracted interest from both Nightcliff and Wanderers. Ahfat, also with football in her blood is part of the Coleman family with Kaeden currently playing for Brisbane Lions and Blake featuring in Brisbane’s VFL side.
The Rising Star Award is adjudged by AFLNT for first- and second-year players in the Sun Cable BRFL. The award is for young, talented players that showcase skill and advanced player development with the potential to progress through the pathways of the AFL. Also, someone who has been able to have an impact in Senior Football in the Sun Cable BRFL at a young age.
Golden Whistle Award – Dean Sullivan
This award is decided by the Senior Coach of each Club who votes for the umpire they believe to have had the best on-field performance during the season.
Most Professional Club of the Year – Daly River Buffaloes
The Most Professional Club of the Year is awarded to the club who maintained a high level of club governance, strong code of conduct both on and off the field and a club model which builds a sustainable future for the club.
Senior Men’s Doug Kelly Medal Leader Board:
Ricky Walsh – Katherine Camels – 20 votes
Nehemiah Farrell – Arnhem Crows – 19 votes
Matthew Green – Eastside – 18 votes
Jurtly Silver – Ngukurr Bulldogs – 16 votes
Jeffrey McDonald – Arnhem Crows – 13 votes
Senior Women’s Best and Fairest Leader Board:
Aimee Antonello – Katherine South – 20 votes
Billie Byers – Eastside – 16 votes
Crystal Browne – Eastside – 11 votes
Janita Roberston – Ngukurr Bulldogs – 9 votes
Jenna Singh– Arnhem Crows – 9 votes
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 Sun Cable 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.