IT'S the Ovens and Murray Football and Netball League's night of nights and we're bringing it to you live.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Join us from 6pm for all the awards, including round-by-round votes, as well as the glitz and glamour from the red carpet.
Don't forget to hit your REFRESH button regularly to stay up-to-date!
And that's a wrap everyone! Thanks for playing along at home, hope you've enjoyed the coverage. Pick up tomorrow's Border Mail for all the news, gossip and pictures from this evening, including interviews with all the winners. And check online for the a full photo gallery from the night.
Congrats again Kristan!
Height says he's "shocked" despite quite a few Saints folk telling him he's a chance. In fact, he's polled the most votes for Myrtleford in 35 years.
"I thought I might get a couple of ones and twos," he says, "but not as many as I did."
And for those who want to know the rest of the votes, the final leaderboard looks something like this:
Kristan Height - 26 votes
Matt Pendergast (Lavington) - 18 votes
Matt Grossman (Wangaratta), Brandon Symes (Yarrawonga) - 17 votes
Chris Hyde (Albury) - 16 votes
And he just scores the final 3 in round 18 - congratulations Kristan Height of Myrtleford. Outstanding!
Round 17 leaderboard... drum roll please...
Oh god, the suspense is ridiculous... Mr Patterson please, talk faster! Wait not that fast, I can't keep up...
Height has got this in the bag! First EVER to win both the Morris and Morrison medals! On 24 votes he is unbeatable!
Medal favourite Brayden O'Hara is well and truly out of the running. It's a mystery what the umpires are looking for sometimes. What can you say? Haters gonna hate.
Loud cheers as Height picks up another couple in round 16 - with just two rounds to go, his lead is better and better.
Height - 22
Pendergast - 16
Symes - 15
Grossman, Hyde, Bonat - 14
Well, this is getting bloody exciting, but not for the reasons we expected... After round 15:
Kristan Height - 20 votes
Matt Grossman, Chris Hyde, Brandon Symes - 16 votes
Matt Pendergast - 14 votes
Dean Polo - 12 votes (ineligible)
And as I hit send on that last post, Kristan Height scored another three votes. We're at the halfway point now and things are looking very interesting:
Kristan Height - 16 votes
Matt Grossman, Chris Hyde - 14 votes
Brandon Symes, Joel Mackie - 11 votes
Jamie Allan, Dean Polo, Matt Pendergast - 10
Round 10 leaderboard:
Matt Grossman and Kristan Height - 14 votes
Chris Hyde - 12
Brandon Symes - 11
Joel Mackie - 10 (ineligible)
The hot favourite, Brayden O'Hara is on 5 votes, we believe.
Did anyone see this coming??
Hmmm, lots of solemn faces out there... some people might be wondering if it's too late to change their bets?
After round 7:
Matt Grossman - 11
Chris Hyde - 10
Brandan Symes - 9
Matt Pendergast - 8
After round 6, the leaderboard looks like this:
Matt Grossman - 9 votes
Chris Hyde - 7 votes
Chris Marshall - 6 votes
Matt Pendergast - 6 votes
Brandon Symes - 6 votes
A few less-than-expected names there, but it's early days still.
And here we go... the 2014 Morris Medal count is officially underway! I tell you, Andrew Demetriou ain't got nothing on the dulcet tones of Graeme Patterson and David Sinclair... Which is lucky cos we're only up to round three... Fevola is leading but is ineligible - though he just missed out on 3 votes in round 3 despite kicking TEN goals - and there's a host of others on three votes including Brayden O'Hara.
Hell yeah, that's a great effort - she's unstoppable!
Ladies and gentlemen, your 2014 Toni Wilson medal winner, on 27 votes - Jacqueline Newton! (Poor Emcee Murph - he's running out of questions for her...)
And after round 17, and one round to go it's all over!
17 votes - Kate Yensch
19 votes - Sarah Sanini
25 votes - Jacqueline Newton
Congrats again to North Albury's Jacqueline Newton - what a year!
After round 15, it's getting closer...
16 votes - Kate Yensch
19 votes - Sarah Sanini
22 votes - Jacqueline Newton
Lots of cheers (and laughs) from the auditorium with the netball highlights reel ahead of the Toni Wilson medal, the A grade best and fairest.
After round 12 here's where the votes are at:
3rd - 15 votes - Kate Yensch
2nd - 15 votes - Sarah Sanini
1st - 20 votes - Jacqueline Newton
SS&A Diamond Rising Star award is Jacqueline Newton, from North Albury - the fourth year in a row the Hoppers have won this award.
We move on to the SS&A football Rising Star award (we're flying through things now people, keep up) and the winner is Josh Minogue, also from North Albury - but unlike the girls, it's the first time a Hoppers lad has won this award.
It's the boys turn now, with the Leo Deane award for the thirds best and fairest. And that one goes to Wangaratta's Hugh Amery from Wangaratta, with 23 votes.
Onto the Leo Burke award for the reserves best and fairest, and it goes to Bobby Griffiths from Albury on 21 votes. It's his second award for the night, after taking out the leading goalkicking award for the night - though he's just told us all he reckons he should have kicked more. Yep, more than 96 - it's just not good enough mate, tsk tsk.
Once again, check out tomorrow's Border Mail for the full breakdown of the vote-getters.
C grade netball best and fairest - it's Gemma Coburn from the Panthers with a massive 29 votes.
B grade netball best and fairest - with 28 votes, from Yarrawonga it's Lauren Mulquiney.
Well done to you all.
The dashing Mr Murphy is back at the podium and the crowd has quickly settled (pretty well-behaved we must say).
On to the 16 and under best and fairest.... drum roll please... 22 votes from Lavington Panthers, Tayla Furburough.
It's the third year in a row a Panthers girl has won this award, so they're obviously doing something right over there.
The full list of votewinners will be in tomorrow's Border Mail.
Graeme Patterson is now presenting this year's life membership awards.
The first goes to Ross Hill from the Wangaratta Rovers, and the second to John Hunt of Lavington who's played 335 senior games, 122 consecutively - yeesh!
Another short break here now - time to stretch the legs as we head toward the pointy end of the evening. The drinks are flowing in there but methinks it's time for coffee... we still got a way to go folks. We'll be back with the netball under 16 best and fairest.
Onto the interleague awards now, and North Albury's Jacqueline Newton has won the 17 and under most valuable player award.
Netball interleague open most valuable player comes from Yarrawonga, Bridget Cassar.
And the netball player player's award goes to Yarrawonga's Laura Bourke.
The football interleague awards are on next and Joel Mackie from Albury has won the Norm Minns Medal.
It really has been Albury's year hasn't it? They've just won the Roadsafe North East overall club championship award. We bet David 'Johnno' Johnson will have a bit to say about it all on Talkback Tuesday tomorrow (12.30pm, this very website - hey, it's our site, we can plug if we want to).
Albury Football Club has won the Football Club championship, the Cleaver Bunton Cup, while North Albury has won the Anne Lawrence Trophy for Netball Club championship.
The suspense is really killing you guys isn't it? Who's it gonna be, who's it gonna be?
And we're back in action after that delicious meal, with Volunteer of the Year award winner Kath Dobson, presenting the Netball Most Valuable Umpire of the Year Award. This year it goes to Cindy Wardius, who'll also be umpiring this weekend.
The football umpire of the year award has gone to Jason Raine, just 21 years old.
Orange is the new black:
While we finish chowing down dinner (the chicken is awesome, by the way) let's turn our attention to what it's really all about tonight - the fashion.
Photographer Dylan Robinson was downstairs earlier in the evening to capture the grand entrances during pre-dinner drinks at The Locker Room sports bar. And yep, O&M peeps, y'all looking goooooood.
There'll be a few more pics as the night goes on - bear with us here, with so much hotness going on the computer is finding it hard to keep up - but there'll definitely be a full gallery online tomorrow.
It's time to honour the people without whom, let's be honest, this whole operation would just fall apart: the volunteers.
The Volunteer of the Year/Peter Bruhn award goes to Kath Dobson - well done Kath!
It's dinner break over here and not a moment too soon - we'll be back with more awards soon.
In the meantime, the punters at home are still talking tips for the big one, and one name is still dominating the pack:
Or could there be an upset?
Now for the BIGGEST awards of the night (if we do say so ourselves) - the McRae Holden/Border Mail thirds team player of the year award and Border Mail/Johnsons MME player of the year.
It's a joint winner in the thirds - Marcus Hargreaves from Yarrawonga, and Aaron Jory from Lavington. They're men of few words but hey, actions speak louder right?
Player of the Year goes to Brayden O'Hara from Albury - and if the bookies are right, it won't be the first time he'll be walking up to that podium tonight.
Onto the Oak FM Player of the Year award - Kristan Height from Myrtleford!
He notched up 31 Oak FM votes, and he's in with a chance in the Morris Medal as well - could this be a sign of things to come later tonight?
Back to netball for the Susan Hines Hairdressing Awards (unfortunately, not awarded for the best hairstyle, though all four ladies are looking fabulous).
Under 16 - Claire Wilson (Corowa Rutherglen)
C grade - Brooke Bice (Albury)
B grade - Paige McMillan (North Albury)
A grade - Sophie Hanrahan (Corowa Rutherglen)
Aaaaannnnnddd, that's a hatrick for Albury Tigers in the goalkicking - Doug Strang medal for firsts leading goalkicker goes to Setanta o'hAilpin with 103 goals.
That's only the second time one club has won all three - it last happened in 2004 with Wodonga.
Setanta isn't here tonight to get his award but we bet he's celebrating in his loungeroom.
Thirds football leading goalkicker award (John Longmire medal) goes to... Zachary Sproule from Albury Tigers, with 44 goals!
Into the reserves now - and it's Bobby Griffiths also from Albury, with 96 goals. Not a bad effort at all mate.
First awards for the night - the Homemakers Wodonga Netball Hot Shot Awards:
Under 16 - Amie Antonello (Myrtleford)
C Grade - Millie Medcraft (Lavington)
B Grade - Olivia Toth (Wodonga Raiders)
A Grade - Jess Fisher-Curnow (North Albury)
That's the second year in a row Jess has taken out the A grade ... and she's tipping Yarrawonga over Wodonga this weekend, btw.
Looks like Tigers' Brayden O'Hara is still the favourite for the night... Wodonga's coach Ben Hollands has pitched in with his bet:
Ben himself is at another awards ceremony for the night... Nice work Ollie!
The official welcome from O&M's Graeme Patterson. He mentions the big developments in local footy this year, including the debate around equalisation, and hints there could be some changes surrounding that very contentious topic in the coming year. Watch this space.
Respects also paid to Albury Tigers' James McQuillan, who suffered a severe spinal injury earlier this year. The youngster is remaining incredibly positive though, and is clearly in the minds and hearts of everyone here tonight.
Alright, alright, alright! And the night is officially underway with a highlights reel from the season, followed by the formal introductions from 2AY's Steve Murphy, our host for the evening.
Apologies to start the night - Greg Aplin, Bill Tilley, Sussan Ley, Cathy McGowan, Tim McCurdy among them... hmmm, could our Border and North East pollies have things OTHER than football on their minds? I daren't believe it...
A little behind schedule - folks are just floating in and taking their seats now. Quite a few tables marked 'light beer only'... Sorry fellas, we'll be sure to have your share of the strong stuff.
FYI, starters are crumbed prawns - don't mind if I do.
Well hello there everyone playing along at home, and welcome to the Morris Medal 2014. The tables are set, the emcee's warming up and the ladies - and yes, a few of the gents - are all dolled up.
The awards kick off in about 10 minutes, so stay tuned for all the action as it unfolds.
In the meantime, the tips for tonight's winner are flowing in. The Border Mail's own Jake and Xave had this to say earlier today, while "Almo" on Twitter was putting his money on the poster boy...