CHFL
THE Central Highlands Football League rookie of the year will named tonight.
Thirteen clubs have players in contention for the award, including Ballan, Beaufort, Bungaree, Creswick, Daylesford, Dunnstown, Hepburn, Illabarook, Learmonth, Newlyn, Rokewood-Corindhap, Skipton and Waubra.
The rookie of the year will be announced at a Sportsmen’s Association of Australia Ballarat branch dinner.
Nominations:
HARLEY BONGART (Ballan): First-year player, making 12 senior appearances. He missed the five other home and away matches owing to a non-football injury. Graduated from Ballan’s under-18s.
ASH DAVIES (Beaufort): Last year’s Crows under-18 best and fairest. He stepped up to play 15 senior games.
NICK WEIGHTMAN (Bungaree): in his second year in the under-18s, he played 13 senior games - debuting as a 15-year-old after winning 2009 and 2010 under-15 best and fairests. Represented CHFL under-16s this year.
JOEL ANTONIO (Creswick): He won last year’s CHFL under-18 best and fairest and stepped into the senior line-up this season. Played as a tagging midfielder, an in-and-under forward and lock down defender.
SEBASTIAN WALSH (Daylesford): This was his first full season at senior level after debuting last year. He was selected in the CHFL senior representative team and CHFL team of the year, and was Daylesford’s leading goalkicker with 46.
JARROD MURPHY (Dunnstown): He played 16 senior games this year, playing in the forward pocket, on a half forward flank, wing and half back flank.
JIMMY RODGERS
(Hepburn): Rodgers is a two-time club and CHFL under-15 best and fairest who has made 47 senior appearances after debuting in 2009, which was was his first season out of under-15s. A key small forwards.
DARYL PERKINS (Illabarook): Has played with the Bulldogs all his life, joining senior ranks as an 18-year-old this season.
JACOB WERTS (Learmonth: Spent the entire season in the seniors, playing in the ruck, centre half forward, wing and full back. This followed 11 last year when under-18 captain.
LEIGH ALLEN (Newlyn): Made his senior debut in 2011 and after graduating from under-18s played in every senior match this year. A past Cats under-18 best and fairest. Predominantly a defender, often playing centre half back.
BEN HARRIS (Rokewood-Corindhap): Debuted late last year and played in 17 games this season.
JOSHUA DRAFFIN (Skipton): He was an under-18 best and fairest last year, when he also played two senior matches. After four games in the under-18s this season, he was promoted to the seniors and played 13 times. He represented CHFL at under-18 level.
MICK HARRINGTON (Waubra): He broke into the senior line-up this year and played in 17 home away games as al midfielder. He also played four under-18 games and represented the CHFL at this level, named the team’s best.