Bob Russell won Tallangatta’s best and fairest after an impressive first season at the club.
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His twin brother, Tom, almost stole the limelight, finishing runner-up.
Key forward Tom Johnson rounded out the top-three, with he and Tom making the league’s Team of the Year.
Bob crossed from Wodonga to the Hoppers this season and made an instant impact in the Tallangatta league – finishing fifth in the Barton Medal behind runaway winner Cameron McNeill from Barnawartha.
Tallangatta coach Sam Livingstone admitted it was a very close count with little separating the top-six.
“It was a good year from Bob transitioning out and Tom had a strong year last year and backed it up again,” Livingstone said.
“We brought him out from Wodonga and there was certainly some uneasiness there from him for a little bit of the year as to whether he’d made the right decision.
“Halfway through the year and into the finals he really played some great footy and found his feet.
“He was really honoured.”
Yackandandah’s top honour was taken out by versatile big man Arden Greiner, with Grady Nigsch finishing second.
“He had a ripper year,” Yackandandah coach Brent Lillis said.
“He played out of position a fair bit throughout the year, he’s probably a natural backman.
“Having lost big Trent (Castles) this year, we played him forward a fair bit to kick a score each week.
“He’s (Nigsch) a talented player and you can bank each week whoever he plays on, he’s going to beat.”
Lillis will coach the Roos again next season and is on the hunt for recruits.
Meanwhile, Thurgoona co-coach Jayden Kotzur won a thrilling best and fairest count at the Bulldogs.
Midfielder Michael Rampal was the early leader, but missed the last part of the season with a leg injury, allowing Kotzur to sneak to victory.
Kotzur finished the season with a career-high haul of 75 goals.
Barnawartha’s count also went down to the wire with Josh Spence edging out McNeill.
Spence polled 107 votes to deny the Barton Medallist, who finished with 102, the league and club double.
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