Lake Wendouree onballer Ben Taylor is the Ballarat Football League's best and fairest.
A stunned Taylor became the Lakers' second Henderson Medallist on Monday night - joining 2010 winner Paul McMahon.
Taylor polled 19 votes to finish one ahead of Sunbury's Alik Magin and Ballarat's 2014 Henderson Medallist Shane Hutchinson.
Topping the award came as a complete surprise to Taylor – so much so that he arrived at the function only minutes before the count started after making a last moment dash from Melbourne.
Just two hours before securing the Henderson Medal, Taylor was shopping in a supermarket near his Collingwood home and it was only after phone calls from his father and girlfriend that he was on hand to receive the biggest individual honour of his football career.
“It’s totally unexpected,” Taylor said.
The award completed a bitter-sweet fews days for Taylor after Lake Wendouree's season's came to an abrupt end at the hands of Sunbury in the preliminary final on Saturday.
The Henderson Medal adds to an already impressive array of accolades for Taylor, who returned to Lakers this year.
Taylor, 29, who grew up playing juniors with Lake Wendouree, was in the club's first and to date only BFL premiership in 2010 and is a four-time club best and fairest.
He left Lakers at the end of 2012 to travel overseas for a few years and then played with University Blues in the VAFA last year.
Hutchinson led by two votes from Taylor with two rounds to go, with Magin another two votes back.
Taylor was judged best on ground in round 17 to take a one-vote lead, with Magin receiving two votes to be three off the pace.
Neither Taylor or Hutchinson polled in the last round, while Magin awarded two votes for the third match in a row.
Taylor, who at this stage is planning to play for Lakers again next year, said he had been pleased with his form during the season, given the restrictions living and working in Melbourne meant when it came to training and other club commitments.
TOP 10
19-Ben Taylor (Lake Wendouree)
18-Alik Magin (Sunbury), Shane Hutchinson (Ballarat)
14-Daniel Burton (Bacchus Marsh), Paul Koderenko (East Point), Jake Gleeson (Melton)
11-Steve Kennedy (Darley), Nathan Horbury (Redan)
10-Tyson Shea (Bacchus Marsh), Anthony Chui (Darley), Jono Lanyon (East Point), Nick Peters (Lake Wendouree), Steve Clifton (Lake Wendouree), Derick Micallef (North Ballarat City)
VOTING ROUND-BY-ROUND
ROUND 1
LAKE WENDOUREE v REDAN: Nathan Pring (LW) 3, Steve Clifton (LW) 2, Jacob Short (R) 1
MELTON v MELTON SOUTH: Jake Gleeson (M) 3, Jack Walker (M) 2, Anthony Hibbert (MS) 1
BACCHUS MARSH v SUNBURY: Grant Valles (S) 3, Rhys McNay (BM) 2, Cameron Richardson (BM) 1,
SEBASTOPOL v BALLARAT: Shane Hutchinson (B) 3, Tom Stapleton (B) 2, Ryan Noether (S) 1
EAST POINT v NORTH BALLARAT CITY: Jordyn Burke (NBC) 3, Ryan Luke (NBC) 2, Nick Hind (EP) 1
ROUND 2
BALLARAT v EAST POINT: Shane Hutchinson (B) 3, Paul Koderenko (EP) 2, Mitch Bishop (B) 1
SUNBURY v MELTON: Mathew Medcragft (S) 3, Jack Landt (S) 2, Jack Walker (M) 1
MELTON SOUTH v SEBASTOPOL: Brett Goodes (S) 3, Marshall Cain (S) 2, Brendan Hooper (MS) 1
NORTH BALLARAT CITY v REDAN: Ryan Hobbs (NBC) 3, Dean Mathews (R) 2, Jarry Graham (NBC) 1
BACCHUS MARSH v DARLEY: Daniel Burton (BM) 3, Cam Richardson (BM) 2, Alec Del Papa (BM) 1
ROUND 3
EAST POINT v BACCHUS MARSH: Nick Hind (EP) 3, Paul Koderenko (EP) 2, Jono Lanyon (EP) 1
LAKE WENDOUREE v BALLARAT: Andrew Pitson (LW) 3, Ben Taylor (LW) 2, Steve Clifton (LW) 1
DARLEY v SUNBURY: Grant Valles (S) 3, Tom Donoghue (S) 2, Steven Kennedy (D) 1
SEBASTOPOL v MELTON: Matthew Notman (M) 3, Jake Gleeson (M) 2, Brett Goodes (S) 1
REDAN v MELTON SOUTH: Chris Giampaolo (R) 3, Brendan Riordan (R) 2, William Thorton-Gielen (MS) 1
ROUND 4
MELTON SOUTH v BACCHUS MARSH: Damian Cupido (BM) 3, Tyson Shea (BM) 2, Matt Denham (BM) 1
BALLARAT v SUNBURY: Ben Guthrie (S) 3, Greg Hay (S) 2, Jess McInneny (S) 1
REDAN v EAST POINT: Brenton Riordan (R) 3, Nick Hind (EP) 2, Paul Koderenko (EP) 1
DARLEY v LAKE WENDOUREE: Nathan Pring (LW) 3, Jarrod Edwards (D) 2, Steve Clifton (LW) 1
NORTH BALLARAT CITY v SEBASTOPOL: Sam Bromley-Lynch (NBC) 3, Jarryd Graham (NBC) 2,
ROUND 5
SUNBURY v MELTON SOUTH: Alik Magin (S) 3, Andrew Dahau (S) 2, Joseph Callus (MS) 1
BACCHUS MARSH v BALLARAT: Daniel Burton (BM) 3, Damian Cupido (BM) 2, Alex Del Papa (BM) 1
LAKE WENDOUREE v NORTH BALLARAT CITY: Andrew Pitson (LW) 3, Ben Taylor (LW) 2, Sam Willian (NBC) 1
REDAN v DARLEY: Ryan Waight (R) 3, Brenton Riordan (R) 2, Jarrett Giampaolo (R) 1
MELTON v EAST POINT: Jake Gleeson (M) 3, Paul Korderenko (EP) 2, Jack Walker (M) 1
ROUND 6
MELTON v BACCHUS MARSH: Tyson Shea (BM) 3, Jake Gleeson (M) 2, Declan Phyland (BM) 1
DARLEY NORTH v BALLARAT CITY: Ryan Hobbs (NBC) 3, Anthony Chiu (D) 2, Steve Kennedy (D) 1
EAST POINT v MELTON SOUTH: Jono Lanyon (EP) 3, Daniel Tung (EP) 2, Nick Weightman (EP) 1
SEBASTOPOL v LAKE WENDOUREE: Nathan Pring (LW) 3, Steve Clifton (LW) 2, Luke Bucknall (LW) 1
REDAN v SUNBURY: Alik Magin (S) 3, Joe Redfern (S) 2, Greg Hay (S) 1
ROUND 7
DARLEY v MELTON SOUTH: Steve Kennedy (D) 3, Anthony Chiu (D) 2, Luther Baker (D) 1
BACCHUS MARSH v LAKE WENDOUREE: Ben Taylor (LW) 3, Trent Angwin (BM) 2, Lane Buckwell (LW) 1
BALLARAT v REDAN: Nathan Horbury (R) 3, Matt Cullinan (R) 2, Shane Hutchinson (B) 1
NORTH BALLARAT CITY v MELTON: Daniel Kilpatrick (NBC) 3, Jarryd Graham (NBC) 2, Mitch Gilbert (NBC) 1
SUNBURY v SEBASTOPOL: Mathew Medcraft (Sun) 3, Greg Hay (Sun) 2, David Kovacevic (Sun) 1
ROUND 8
DARLEY v BALLARAT: Steve Kennedy (D) 3, Mitch Banner (D) 2, Anthony Chui (D) 1
EAST POINT v SEBASTOPOL: Jono Lanyon (EP) 3, Andrew Maconachie (EP) 2, Brett Goodes (S) 1
LAKE WENDOUREE v SUNBURY: Ben Taylor (LW) 3, Andrew Pitson (LW) 2, Ash Simpson (LW) 1
MELTON v REDAN: Nathan Horbury (R) 3, Dean Chester (R) 2, Matt Cullinan (R) 1
NORTH BALLARAT CITY v BACCHUS MARSH: Damian Cupido (BM) 3, Daniel Burton (BM) 2, Ryan Luke (NBC) 1
ROUND 9
LAKE WENDOUREE v EAST POINT: Nick Peters (LW) 3, Ben Taylor (LW) 2, Andrew Pitson (LW) 1
BACCHUS MARSH v REDAN: Ryan Waight (R) 3, Daniel Colbert (R) 2, Nathan Horbury (R) 1
MELTON SOUTH v NORTH BALLARAT CITY: Keenan George (NBC) 3, Derick Micallef (NBC) 2, Mitch Gilbert (NBC) 1
SEBASTOPOL v DARLEY: Michael Powell (S) 3, Darren Leonard (D) 2, Jack McNabb (S) 1
BALLARAT v MELTON: Braden Kight (M) 3, Shane Hutchinson (B) 2, Brad Murphy (M) 1
ROUND 10
BALLARAT v NORTH BALLARAT CITY: Simon McCartin (NBC) 3, Josh Bromley-Lynch (NBC) 2, Derick Micallef (NBC) 1
DARLEY v MELTON: Ryan Davis (M) 3, Luther Baker (D) 2, Darren Leonard (D) 1
MELTON SOUTH v LAKE WENDOUREE: Ben Taylor (LW) 3, Nick Peters (LW) 2, Anthony Hibbert (MS) 1
REDAN v SEBASTOPOL: Callum Currie (R) 3, Matt Cullinan (R) 2, Nathan Horbury (R) 1
SUNBURY v EAST POINT: Daniel Tung (EP) 3, Paul Koderenko (EP) 2, Ben Lusby (EP) 1
ROUND 11
BALLARAT v MELTON SOUTH: Shane Hutchinson (B) 3, Hayden Hughes (B) 2, Nick O'Farrell (B) 1
EAST POINT v DARLEY: Mitch Banner (D) 3, Anthony Chui (D) 2, Daniel Robson (D) 1
MELTON v LAKE WENDOUREE: Tom Carey (LW) 3, Ryan Davis (M) 2, Sean Wilmott (LW) 1
NORTH BALLARAT CITY v SUNBURY: Ryan Luke (NBC) 3, Derick Micallef (NBC) 2, David Kovacevic (S) 1
SEBASTOPOL v BACCHUS MARSH: Matt Denham (BM) 3, Declan Phylan (BM) 2, Jarrah Maksymow (BM) 1
ROUND 12
LAKE WENDOUREE v DARLEY: Cameron Abraham (LW) 3, Jack Elkington (LW) 2, Cooper Pepi (LW) 1
BACCHUS MARSH v MELTON SOUTH: Cam Richardson (BM) 3, Tyson Shea (BM) 2, Jarra Maksymow (BM) 1
SUNBURY v BALLARAT: Alik Magin (S) 3, Dwain Sanderson (S) 2, Tom Stapleton (B) 1
MELTON v SEBASTOPOL: Jack Gleeson (M) 3, Braedan Kight (M) 2, Jack McNab (S) 1
REDAN v NORTH BALLARAT CITY: Nathan Horbury (R) 3, Dean Chester (R) 2, Sam Bromley-Lynch (NBC) 1
ROUND 13
BALLARAT v SEBASTOPOL: Shane Hutchinson (B) 3, Hayden Hughes (B) 2, Tyler O'Sullivan-Kirchner (S) 1
EAST POINT v LAKE WENDOUREE: Steve Clifton (LW) 3, Paul Koderenko (EP) 2, Ben Taylor (LW) 1
MELTON SOUTH v MELTON: Mark Maric (MS) 3, Jack Walker (M) 2, Connor Griffiths (M) 1
SUNBURY v REDAN: Alik Magin (S) 3, Mathew Medcraft (S) 2, David Kovacevic (S) 1
DARLEY v BACCHUS MARSH: Trent Angwin (BM) 3, Matt Denham (BM) 2, Alec Del Papa (BM) 1
ROUND 14
MELTON v SUNBURY: Andrew Dahau (S) 3, Tom Donoghue (S) 2 Jack Gleeson (M) 1
NORTH BALLARAT CITY v LAKE WENDOUREE: Martin Curtis (NBC) 3, Sam Bromley-Lynch (NBC) 2 Derick Micallef (NBC) 1
SEBASTOPOL v MELTON SOUTH: Marshall Cain (S) 3, Ben Trew (S) 2, Michael Powell (S) 1
DARLEY v REDAN: Kurt Lenehan (R) 3, Ben Schiltz (R) 2, Daniel Colbert (R) 1
BACCHUS MARSH v EAST POINT: Daniel Burton (BM) 3, Declan Phyland (BM) 2, Tyson Shea (BM) 1
ROUND 15
SEBASTOPOL v REDAN: Damian Horbury (R) 3, Grant Bell (R) 2, Toby Hutt (S) 1
MELTON SOUTH v BALLARAT: Shane Hutchinson (B) 3, Hayden Hughes (B) 2, James Quaylle (B) 1
NORTH BALLARAT CITY v EAST POINT: Sam Willian (NBC) 3, Derek Micallef (NBC) 2, Joe Symons (NBC) 1
ROUND 16
BACCHUS MARSH v MELTON: Logan Blundell (BM) 3, Connor Griffiths (M) 2, Ryan Davis (M) 1
REDAN v LAKE WENDOUREE: Nick Peters (LW) 3, Luke Bucknall (LW) 2, Steve Clifton (LW) 1
EAST POINT v BALLARAT: Nick Hind (EP) 3, Daniel Tung (EP) 2, Hayden Hughes (B) 1
MELTON SOUTH v SUNBURY: Ben McInneny (S) 3, Alik Magin (S) 2, Justin Burgess (S) 1
NORTH BALLARAT CITY v DARLEY: Steve Kennedy (D) 3, Martin Curtis (NBC) 2, Derick Micallef (NBC) 1
ROUND 17
MELTON SOUTH v DARLEY: Ben Sortino (MS) 3, Anthony Chui (B) 2, Anthony Hibbert (MS) 1
EAST POINT v MELTON: Jono Lanyon (EP) 3, Daniel Tung (EP) 2, Sam Cooper (EP) 1
LAKE WENDOUREE v SEBASTOPOL Ben Taylor (LW) 3, Bailey Edwards (LW) 2, Brett Goodes (S) 1
SUNBURY NORTH v BALLARAT CITY: David Kovacevic (S) 3, Alik Magin (S) 2, Tom Donoghue (S) 1
BALLARAT v BACCHUS MARSH: Jarrah Maksymow (BM) 3, Matt Denham (BM) 2, Tyson Shea (BM) 1
ROUND 18
LAKE WENDOUREE v BACCHUS MARSH: Daniel Burton (BM) 3, Nick Peters (LW) 2, Tyson Shea (BM) 1
MELTON v NORTH BALLARAT CITY: Sam Bromley-Lynch (NBC) 3, Mathew Notman (M) 2, Lou Campana (NBC) 1
SEBASTOPOL v EAST POINT: Paul Koderenko (EP) 3, Brett Goodes (S) 2, Ryan Noether (S) 1
REDAN v BALLARAT: Dean Mathews (R) 3, Matt Cullinan (R) 2, Callum Currie (B) 1
SUNBURY v DARLEY: David Kovacevic (S) 3, Alik Magin (S) 2, Anthony Chui (B) 1
CLUB-BY-CLUB VOTING
BACCHUS MARSH: Daniel Burton 14, Tyson Shea 10, Damian Cupido 8, Matt Denham 8, Cameron Richardson 6, Trent Angwin 5, Declan Phyland 5, Jarrah Maksymow 5, Logan Blundell 3, Alec Del Papa 3, Rhys McNay 2
BALLARAT: Shane Hutchison 18,Hayden Hughes 6, Thomas Stapleton 3, Nicholas O'Farrell 1, Mitchell Bishop 1, James Quayle 1
DARLEY: Steven Kennedy 11, Anthony Chui 10, Mitchell Banner 5, Darren Leonard 3, Luther Baker 3, Cameron Abraham 3, Jarrod Edwards 2, Daniel Robson 1, Cooper Pepi 1
EAST POINT: Paul Koderenko 14, Jono Lanyon 10, Nicholas Hind 9, Daniel Tung 9, Andrew Maconachie 2, Ben Lusby 1, Nicholas Weightman 1, Hayden Hughes 1
LAKE WENDOUREE: Ben Taylor 19, Stephen Clifton 10, Nick Peters 10, Nathan Pring 9, Andrew Pitson 9, Thomas Carey 3, Luke Bucknall 3, Jack Elkington 2, Bailey Edwards 2, Sean Wilmott 1, Lane Buckwell 1, Ash Simpson 1
MELTON: Jake Gleeson 14, Jack Walker 6, Ryan Davis 6, Braedan Kight 5, Matthew Notman 5, Mark Maric 3, Connor Griffiths 3, Brad Murphy 1
MELTON SOUTH: Ben Sortino 3, Anthony Hibbert 3, Brendan Hooper 1, William Thorton-Gielen 1, Joseph Callus 1
NORTH BALLARAT CITY: Derek Micallef 10, Sam Bromley-Lynch 9, Ryan Hobbs 6, Ryan Luke 6, Jarryd Graham 5, Martin Curtis 5, Sam Willian 4, Simon McCartin 3, Keenan George 3, Jordyn Burke 3, Daniel Kilpatrick 3, Josh Bromley-Lynch 2, Mitchell Gilbert 2, Lou Campana 1, Joe Symons 1
REDAN: Nathan Horbury 11, Brenton Riordan 7, Matthew Cullinan 7, Ryan Waight 6, Dean Mathews 5,
Dean Chester 4, Callum Currie 4, Damian Horbury 3, Kurt Lenehan 3, Chris Giampolo 3, Daniel Colbert 3, Grant Bell 2, Ben Schiltz 2, Jacob Short 1, Jarrett Giampaolo 1
SEBASTOPOL: Brett Goodes 8, Marshall Cain 5, Michael Powell 4, Benjamin Trew 2, Jack McNabb 2, Ryan Noether 2, Tyler O'Sullivan-Kirchner 1, Toby Hutt 1
SUNBURY: Alik Magin 18, David Kovacevic 9, Mathew Medcraft 8, Grant Valles 6, Gregory Hay 5, Andrew Duhau 5, Tom Donoghue 4, Ben McInneny 3, Ben Guthrie 3, Jack Landt 2, Joseph Redfern 2, Dwain Sanderson 2, Jesse McInneny 1, Justin Burgess 1
