And to make it even more special, yesterday was Franc's 27th birthday.

He finished on 24 votes, three clear of runners-up Andy McKay (Hepburn) and Jamie Wilson (Newlyn).

"It is sort of funny (to win on my birthday) but really nice. It is just a surprise. It is just nice to win," he said

"I'd like to thank my family for supporting me and mum for keeping my shorts clean every weekend."

Wilson can count himself unlucky to have finished runner-up for the second year in a row while the still young McKay has climbed through the leaderboards over the past two years.

The 27-year-old scored votes in just nine games with seven best on grounds and after eight rounds Franc had recorded just seven votes.

"I didn't think I would do much good. It's a big surprise really," he said.

"There are a lot of good footballers in our league and I thought I didn't have a bad year but I'd be way down the track really."

But as the Crows played better through the season so did Franc with the co-assistant coach notched together 11 votes in four games to go to the lead.

With one round remaining Franc, on 24 votes, held a two vote lead an unassailable lead over the field.

He played all of his juniors with Beaufort under now senior coach Phil Crouch who picked him for his first senior match at 17.

"Crouchy (Phil Crouch) is a good coach, very well organised and just a nice bloke to have around," Franc said.

"If we hold most of our players and build on it we (Beaufort) should keep going along alright."

Playing coach of Daylesford Bernie Jurcan won the reserves best and fairest with 27 votes ahead of Hepburn's Matt Layfield.

Buninyong took home the Merv and Mary Howard Champion Club sheild after seven of its nine grades made the finals.

A special honour was also awarded to Rhys Cahir (Dunnstown), Lee Cox (Hepburn), Andy McKay (Hepburn) and Andrew Burchell (Beaufort) for representing the Victorian Country district representitive side this year.