Nakita Singe and Brad Melville shoot for the stars in Ovens and Murray

Now it’s official.

The 17-year-old defender pipped Hopper teammates Grace Senior, Molly Goldsworthy and Shaylah House, and Wangaratta’s Carly Perso, for the Ovens and Murray netball Rising Star award on Monday night.

And if that isn’t enough to cement Singe’s status in the league, finishing runner-up in the Toni Wilson Medal should be.

The Henty teenager polled 25 votes to finish just three behind Yarrawonga star Hannah Symes for the league’s top individual honour.

Singe, who came through North Albury’s 16-and-under program, was a key player in the Hoppers’ push to the preliminary final.

“It’s definitely a big step up. The intensity is a lot higher,” Singe said of the transition from 16-and-under to A grade netball.

“You have to change your game to come against girls like Bridget Cassar and Skye Hillier.

“You have to try and play your own game against them but that’s very difficult.

“I have loved every minute of this year, though.

“I love playing with all the girls, especially the girls I played 16s with.”

Coach Paula Cary said earlier in the season that Singe had quickly adapted to life in A grade netball and was one of the most reliable defenders in the league.

“She’s tall, she’s agile and she gets to balls that you think are going to go into the goal – she just plucks it out of the air,” she said.

“She’s a pleasure to coach, she always has a smile on her face, even when things aren’t going her way.”

On the football side, Wangaratta’s Brad Melville took out the league’s Rising Star honour.

Melville edged out Magpie teammate Hugh Amery, Myrtleford’s Chad Martin, Wangaratta Rover Will Nolan and Corowa-Rutherglen’s Will Robinson for the award.

The 17-year-old quickly established himself as an automatic selection in Brendan Cairns’ side as the Magpies narrowly missed out on a finals berth.

The talented young sportsman, who will play for Victorian Premier Cricket club Melbourne this summer, was named in the Magpies’ best players in eight of his 14 games.

He was sidelined with a fractured jaw in June but shook off the injury to be one of the Magpies’ best players in the final month of the season.

“I just tried to play my role because we have a lot of good players in our side, I was just happy if I was doing my bit,” he said.

“We played some good footy at times during the season but we probably let ourselves down a bit at times as well.

“We pushed Albury both times, didn’t lose to Yarrawonga and beat the Raiders both times.

“We’ve got some good signs for next year with lots of good kids coming through.”

Cairns said Melville was one of the “most coachable” players on the Magpies’ list when he was nominated for the award.

“He’s a ripping kid and he works really hard,” he said.

“He does extra sessions, he’s really keen to learn.”