WANGARATTA coach Judd Porter has rated star rover Jamie Allan’s second-half of the Ovens and Murray season as good as he’s seen by a Magpie player.
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Porter said yesterday Allan had been unstoppable from rounds 10 to 18 and was a genuine chance of becoming the club’s first Morris medallist since Jon McCormick in 2007.
“If Jamie’s in the mix at the halfway mark, he’s got to take beating,” Porter said.
“His run home has been as good as I’ve seen from a Wang player, even from ‘Hoppa’ (Jon McCormick).
“He would have to be a chance.”
But Allan, who shared The Border Mail JohnsonsMME Footballer of the Year award with Albury ace Chris Hyde, downplayed his prospects and tipped Hyde to emerge with the spoils at the SS & A Club on Monday night.
“Chris Hyde would be my pick,” Allan aid.
“He always plays well against us and I don’t think I’ve had as good a season as him.
“I have only really just decided that I will be going.
“My second half of the season was all right, but when the team’s going better it always helps.”
Lavington assistant-coach Matt Pendergast is a legitimate chance of winning the club’s first medal since Richard Hamilton in 1987.
The O and M captain has rarely been out of the Panthers’ best, but with the young line-up winning only six matches he’s unlikely to pick up enough three votes.
“You never know, but I think in 2002 I was one of the favourites and polled one vote for the night,” Pendergast said.
“It’s one of those things where you never get your hopes up.”
Albury’s Shaun Daly took out the OAK FM Player of the Year award and should be in the mix, while Wodonga coach Jarrod Twitt, North Albury defender Brent Piltz, Yarrawonga’s Xavier Leslie and Steve McKee and Wangaratta Rovers’ Andy Hill should also poll well.
Raiders captain Mark Doolan and dangerous forward Nick Georgiadis look the best chances from Birallee Park.
