OSBORNE star Jamie Parr became the second player to clinch the Azzi Medal and Des Kennedy Memorial Medal in the same season when he was voted best afield in the Cats’ 25-point win over Jindera at Walbundrie.
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Only days after taking out the league’s highest individual honour, the high-flying Cat emulated the feats of Brock-Burrum’s Luke Schilg in 2015 when he completed the double.
The 195-centimetre forward kicked four goals in a low-scoring grand final to edge out teammates Sam Rutland and George Alexander for the medal.
“It’s been a good couple of weeks,” Parr said.
“I guess I’m having a bit of a purple patch.
“It’s good, it’s surreal but I couldn’t do it without the boys.
I guess I’m having a bit of a purple patch. It’s good, it’s surreal but I couldn’t do it without the boys.
- Jamie Parr
“They were fantastic out there today because Jindera really took it up to us.”
Parr kicked Osborne’s opening goal in the first quarter at the nine-minute-mark before following up with a long bomb in the second quarter to give the Cats a handy seven-point buffer at half-time.
With the Cats dominating out of the centre, Parr kicked another two in the final term including one from well outside 50m.
“I was pretty stoked to kick that one in front of our crowd,” he said.
“It gave me goose bumps.”
Parr, who was recruited from Riverina league club Coolamon in 2009, received plenty of support from fellow big-man Hayden Gleeson.
Gleeson’s ruck work inside 50 metres was outstanding with the 37-year-old opening the door for his smaller teammates to hit the score-board.
It was his ninth premiership since debuting in 1998.
Parr said he was quietly confident at the last change despite Osborne leading by only two points.
“The centre clearances were great in the last quarter,” he said.
“We used the wind well.
“The boys got the ball out of the centre and that put Jindera’s defence under a lot of pressure.
“It’s a great club and the boys worked really hard for this.”
Osborne took a punt at the selection table by including backman Trent Haddrill.
He was recalled for his first match since August 5 and didn’t let teammates down with some strong marks and spoils in defence.
Alexander, 19, starred at centre half-forward with the classy Cat’s performance set to attract the attention of Ovens and Murray clubs.
Earlier in the day, Osborne’s under-14s defeated Holbrook by 22 points under the coaching of former premiership player Andrew Schnetzer.