TALENTED forward Zac Burhop has become the first Bullioh player in a decade to win the Upper Murray league’s best and fairest award.
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The talented tennis player polled 22 votes to edge out teammate Hamish Clark and Corryong’s Matt McNamara by two.
Bulldog Bill Nichol won the league medal in 2008.
Federal’s Daniel Hales came third with 11 votes while Swan pair Tim Seymour and Steve Bradshaw and Cudgewa’s Yarrod Hamilton and Jake Vinge polled nine.
Clark said Burhop was a deserved winner.
“He’s played well all year for us,” Clark said.
“He kicked a lot of goals and is having a really good season.”
It was the second successive season Clark has finished runner-up after he pushed Border-Walwa’s Dan McCarthy to the limit last year.
Clark won the league’s goalkicking award with 62 majors.
Bullioh’s Ben Parker edged out teammate Peter Paton by a vote to win the reserve grade count.
In A-grade netball, Federal’s Leah Mathey was victorious on 21 votes from teammate Claudia McKimmie.
Tumbarumba’s Marcus Clark won the Volunteer of the Year.
Meanwhile, Corryong stayed in the flag race with a six-point win over Cudgewa in the first semi-final at Cudgewa on Saturday.
After leading by 23 points at half-time, the Demons held their nerve late with defender Daniel McInnes outstanding.
He dragged several telling marks in the final term with coach Evan Nicholas, Jayden Pryse, Matt McNamara and James Barlee also playing well.
McNamara injured his knee early in the third quarter and could be sidelined for the rest of the season.
“We missed a few goals in the second quarter and it almost came back to bite us,” Nicholas said.
“The wind changed around in the last quarter and we just managed to hold them off.
“We were six points up for probably 10 minutes.”
Midfielder Mikal Bloom returned to the Cudgewa side and made a huge impression while Jack and James McInerney, Mitch Pynappels and Jake Carkeek were also instrumental in the fightback.
Nicholas admitted McNamara faced a challenge to return for the preliminary final.
“It doesn’t look good,” he said.
“He’s tough though.”