Footscray’s Lachlan Sullivan was named the Victorian Football League coaches most valuable player at the VFL awards night on Monday.
At the awards, Brisbane Lions star Jarryd Lyons claimed his first J.J Liston Medal, beating a star studded chasing pack, while it was a three-way tie in the Lambert-Pearce Medal.
Sullivan, who entered the night as one of the favourites for the Liston Medal, was rewarded with the coaches award.
The Bulldogs midfielder polled 102 votes to finish ten ahead of last year’s winner Jacob Dawson from the Southport Sharks. Williamstown defender Marty Hore was third with 84 votes.
Sullivan said he said the confidence at the level had helped him take his game to the next level.
Sullivan was also named captain of the team of the year.
In the Liston Medal, Sullivan finished in equal third spot.
Lyons polled well towards the end of the count to finish on 26 votes, having polled votes in 11 matches, including six best-on-ground performances.
He finished two votes ahead of Southport Sharks midfielder-forward Boyd Woodcock, with two-time winner Tom Gribble and Sullivan finishing a further three votes back.
Sullivan was named captain of the VFL team of the year.
Fellow Bulldogs Jordan Sweet was also named in the team of the year, as the starting ruck.
Williamstown defenders Marty Hore and Oscar McDonald were named in the team of the year in the backline, with ruck Tom Downie named on the bench.
In the Lambert-Pearce Medal, Box Hill Hawks teammates Jordan Mifsud and Akayla Peterson and Geelong Cats on-baller Charlotte Simpson shared the medal.
In a thrilling count, five players finished within three votes of each other.
Box Hill Hawks’ Jordan Mifsud and Akayla Peterson and Geelong on-baller Charlotte Simpson tied for the Lambert-Pearce Medal, tied on 14 votes in a thrilling count where all three winners polled votes in the final round of the season.
Mifsud polled votes in eight matches which was the most of any player in the competition. Simpson featured in the umpires’ votes seven times, while Peterson’s received votes in six matches which included polling the maximum three votes on four occasions.
Collingwood midfielder Jessica Bates was runner-up on 13 votes, with Williamstown’s Emily Eaves in third place on 12 votes.
Eaves was also the runner-up in the coaches most valuable player award behind Bates.
She polled 101 votes to win the award from Eaves (61) and Carlton midfielder Madeleine Di Cosmo (58).
Eaves was also a finalist in the Debbie Lee Medal for the most promising young player, which was won by Simpson.
Eaves was one of three Williamstown players named in the VFLW team of the year.
She was named in the backline, while leading goal kicker Sarah Cameron was named at full forward and Sharnie Whiting on the bench.
