Williamstown Imperials’ Tom Burton had the perfect end to the Victorian Turf Cricket Association Roy Picone Shield season, claiming the player of the year medal.
Having played a massive role in the Imperials premiership, Burton was claimed the division’s best player at the recent awards night.
He polled 16 votes to finish three votes ahead of Caroline Springs’ Damith Priyadarshana and Pascoe Vale Hadfield’s Jarrod Milczak.
Burton said it was a nice way to end the season.
“It was good,” he said. “It was unexpected I thought the spinner from Maribyrnong Park [St Marys] would take it out, he had a really good year.
“It’s good nonetheless. I had been told a couple of days before the awards night that they thought I’d won.”
Burton said he thought he had a slow start to this season, taking a couple of games to get into it.
He said the back end of the season was good, but he was also helped by his teammates performing.
The season was the first at the Imperials for Burton.
“I loved it,” he said. “I got to play with my best mate, Andrew Hendry.
“He’d been nagging me for a couple of years and I only live five minutes down the road.
“For me it was a great move and getting to play next to the beach is fun.”
Having won the premiership as well, it’s been the perfect season for Burton.
He said it’s nice to get the individual recognition, it’s the team’s success that is more important.
His teammate Tristan Alsop was also named in the team of the year.
“We had a really good group and came together at the start of the year,” he said. “This year we didn’t know each other.
“After the first loss we went undefeated and I got to play alongside guys who are now my mates.
“It was nice to see it bear fruit.”
The Imperials will move up into division 2 next season. Burton said they were looking forward to the challenge.
“We have got a couple of local derbies now,” he said. “We’re excited to take the next step up, that’s for sure.”
In the division 2, Grand United’s Leniko Boucher claimed the best player award. Newport Digman’s James Muirhead and Shannon Clarke, Altona Roosters’ Tharanga Indika and Nadeera Thuppahi, Williamstown CYMS’ Jarion Hoyte and West Newport’s James Usher and Trent Jones were named in the team of the year.
In division 1, Altona North’s Connor Smith shared the player of the year medal with PEGS Jordan Cook.
