MISSING the last two rounds of the Group 9 season didn’t affect Lou Goodwin’s hope of claiming the Weissel Medal.
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Goodwin polled 30 votes to run out the winner, three ahead of Kangaroos hooker Glenn Dumbrell.
Receiving his award in front of a strong crowd at Wagga’s Commercial Club last night, the talented lock only failed to poll a vote in four games he played this season.
Leading Dumbrell by four points after round 14 when the count went behind closed doors, Goodwin earned man of the match honours against Tumut in round 15 followed by two votes in the Thunder’s loss to Gundagai.
Suffering a shoulder injury against Gundagai, Goodwin didn’t tackle Southcity in round 17 while the Thunder had the bye in the last round.
However, Dumbrell didn’t poll in round 15 or 16 and despite earning man of the match honours in the final two rounds, couldn’t rein in the Thunder skipper.
The 23-year-old became the third Albury player to win the award after Brett Gale’s win in 1993 and Greg Lynch’s in 2005.
In a team with so many big names Group 9 president Jack Morton said Albury lock’s achievement was a remarkable effort.
“He’s a very good player and is a standout in Group 9,” Morton said.
“He’s got a lot of good players in the team with him and they are taking votes off each other.
“Ben Jeffery, Willie Heta and Mitch Davis would all be getting votes, so to do what he’s done is quite exceptional.”
Goodwin polled in 11 rounds of the competition, falling to earn a vote in both games against Temora as well in round eight against Tumbarumba and round 14 against Cootamundra.
He was declared man of the match in eight games and in the other three games were he polled received two votes.
Goodwin’s tally is the highest winning mark since Tumut’s Warren Weir polled 37 in 2007.
“That enforces the quality of the guy to get that many votes,” Morton said.
Southcity teenage sensation Nathan Rose finished third with 22 votes, three clear of Brothers’ Blake Dunn.
Evergreen Kangaroos playmaker Baden Power adding to his Weissel Medal tally taking out the reserve grade count.
Cootamundra’s Andrew Bucknell and Gundagai’s Chris Smith finished a further point behind.
Temora’s Carly Elwin improved from her third-placed finished last year to take leaguetag honours.
Elwin finished three points clear of Cootamundra’s Kristen Glanville and Tumut’s Linley Jones.
In a thrilling Weissel Cup under-18 count, Brothers’ Ed Ansell and Young’s Matthew Murray couldn’t be split.
Both finished on 25 votes, three points clear of Gundagai’s Derek Hay.
Brothers young gun Nicholas Hay scored the most dominant win on the night.
The front-rower won the Sullivan Cup count by five votes with Albury’s Bailey Young in second.