The Ballan player-coach took out netball’s top prize after polling 32 votes at the Ballarat and District Trotting Club on Wednesday night, just one vote clear of runner-up Buninyong talent Stephanie Strachan.

In her first season as coach, Perkins polled in 14 out of 17 rounds and was deemed best on court six times.

Perkins, who arrived at Ballan at the start of last season, was lost for words. 

“I’m just so proud of my club,” she said. “It’s not about me at all. We’ve had such a successful year. I’m completely and utterly shocked.”

Eight votes came in the final three games as Ballan pushed to cement its position in finals. The Blues finished the season in seventh position on the A-grade ladder for the fourth time in five years before losing an elimination final to Waubra.

It was a bottleneck in the top five of the vote count, with Waubra captain Jane Douglass finishing in third with 29 votes, just two votes behind runner-up Strachan.

Meanwhile, there was more success for Ballan in the B grade netball vote count with Rebecca Conroy deemed the best and fairest after collecting 33 votes.

Conroy finished five votes ahead of runner-up Kristina Clohesy from Newlyn, who ended the night on 28 votes, while Buninyong’s Caitlin Hughes rounded out the top three on 26 votes.

“I’m proud to receive this award and still a little bit shocked… it means a lot to me,” Conroy said, who credited her consistency and maturity for her strong season.

Bungaree’s Molly Binks was recognised for her season in C grade competition, running away with the best and fairest on 36 votes.

Binks finished an impressive 12 votes ahead of joint runners-up Newlyn’s Jemma Del Papa, Hepburn’s Sally Otto and Hepburn’s Laiken Yanner on 24 votes.

“The last two years of seniors are the first two years that I’ve actually had a run on the court,” Binks said. “Coming from a bench warmer to this, I did not expect that.”