Skipton's Mitch Gilbert has finished off his first season in the Central Highlands Football League in the best way, claiming the league's top honour, the Geoff Taylor Medal.
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The Emus midfielder claimed a tight victory with 17 votes, three clear of Daylesford's Christopher Peart on 14 and four votes clear of Rokewood-Corindhap's Matthew Aikman on 13.
Gilbert told The Courier he didn't expect to win coming into the night.
"I didn't expect that at all, a bit of a shock obviously," he said.
Gilbert had an immediate impact at his new club after crossing from North Ballarat in the Ballarat Football Netball League.
He joined the Emus with good friend Sam Willain, who co-coached the side with Andrew Pitson.
"Absolutely loved it (at Skipton), everyone was so welcoming, great bunch of people out there," he said.
"Obviously Straughn (Willian) and Pitto (Pitson), two of me close mates out there coaching, so couldn't have asked for a more enjoyable year."
Gilbert polled four votes through the opening three rounds and sat third after six rounds on nine votes behind Learmonth's James Pratt (11) and Gordon's Luke Gunnell (10).
After the COVID-19 affected rounds seven and eight, Gilbert, along with Skipton, began to get a roll on.
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The Emus won four-straight games from round nine to 12, Gilbert polling eight votes in that span to sit on 16 and lead Peart by three after 12 rounds.
Rounds 13 and 14 were lost due to COVID, then Peart polled one vote against Gordon in round 15 and Aikman polled two against Creswick to climb to 13 votes.
Gilbert went without a vote against Springbank and entered the final round just two votes clear.
He managed to poll one-vote in a round 17 loss to Buninyong while Peart and Aikman both went without a vote, handing Gilbert the medal.
In reserves football, Daylesford's Ben Horne dominated the count, running away an easy winner on 21 votes.
His run included 18 votes between rounds five and 17.
Dunnstown's Brett Duffy and Newlyn's Jesse Eastwell finished second on 14 votes.
Hepburn's Sam Dunstan claimed the senior goalkicking with 82 majors, at a ridiculous average of 7.45 goals per game.
Buninyong's Billie Leskosek claimed the reserves goalkicking with 44 goals, averaging 4.40 per game.
Geoff Taylor Medal leaderboard
17 - Mitch Gilbert (Skipton)
14 - Christopher Peart (Daylesford)
13 - Matthew Aikman (Rokewood-Corindhap)
12 - Laityn Withers (Rokewood-Corindhap)
11 - Adam Toohey (Gordon)
11 - Samuel Willian (Skipton)
11 - Andy McKay (Hepburn)
11 - James Pratt (Learmonth)
10 - Sam Carr (Rokewood-Corindhap)
10 - Luke Gunnell (Gordon)
10 -Sam Dunstan (Hepburn)
Reserves Best and Fairest winner
Ben Horne (Daylesford) - 21 votes
Seniors leading goalkicker
Sam Dunstan (Hepburn) - 82 goals
Reserves leading goalkicker
Billie Leskosek (Buninyong) - 44 goals
The Courier Player of the Year award
Matthew Aikman (Rokewood-Corindhap) - 59 votes
CHFL Team of the Year
B: Gerard Clifford (Gordon), Will Henderson (Dunstown), Bradley Hallam (Gordon)
HB: Christopher Peart (Daylesford), Jack Robertson (Buninyong), Jackson Kinna (Waubra)
C: Jarrod Rodgers (Buninyong), Ethan Crackel (Gordon), Mitchell McKay (Hepburn)
HF: Andrew McKay (Hepburn), Scott Hughes (Daylesford), Adam Toohey(Gordon) (c)
FF: Matthew Bulluss (Dunnstown), Samuel Dunstan (Hepburn), Ashley Munari (Gordon)
R: Nathan Dunstan (Hepburn), Mitchell Gilbert (Skipton), Matthew Aikman (Rokewood)
INT: Todd Finco (Springbank), James Pratt (Learmonth), Patrick Taranto (Creswick), Zak Bozanich (Springbank)
COACH: Ron Watt and Adam Toohey
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