MYRTLEFORD has been handed some priceless pieces of football memorabilia from the family of one of the club's greatest players.
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In an unexpected move, the late Jim Deane's wife Colleen and son Michael this week presented the Saints with the two Morris medals he won in a five-year coaching stint between 1958 and 1962.
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Deane won his first Morris medal in his debut season when he finished level on votes with Wangaratta Rovers' champion Bob Rose, but the Hawks great was declared the sole victor due to the countback rules of the day.
In 2000, the O and M presented players including Deane who had "lost" on countback with medals.
Deane won his second Morris medal in 1961 and along with Peter Howard are the only multiple winners of the award in the Saints' history.
But, mystery surrounds the origins of two other medals the Deane family members handed over to the Saints this week.
They were believed to be for best and fairests, but the Saints honour board shows Dennis Smith, Bill Dalziel, Frank Hodgkin, Terry Burgess Senior and Gary Holmes won the club's best and fairest in the five years Deane coached before returning to South Australia.
Some O and M clubs including North Albury previously had rules preventing playing coaches being eligible for best and fairest voting.
Myrtleford president Ian Wales said the club was indebted to the Deane family's generosity and the gifting of the medals could be the impetus to create a better way to display the club's memorabilia from almost 50 years in the O and M.
"We might have won only one flag, but there is still plenty we've got to put on show if we had an area to display it," he said.
"This might just be the kick along we need.
"Jim was a brilliant player for our club and I'm still scratching my head how he missed out in the O and M Team of the Century earlier in the year.
"We are extremely grateful that the family has seen fit to hand over this medals."
Earlier this year deane was inducted into the Australian football Hall of Fame and in 2002 was also inducted into the SANFL Hall of Fame in a career which included two Magarey medals, six best and fairests for South Adelaide and 15 matches for South Australia.
"We've handed over his Magarey medals to the SANFL to exhibit in their Magarey medal room at Adelaide Oval," Mr Deane said.
"His AFL Hall of Fame certificate has been handed over to South Adelaide to exhibit.
"It just seemed appropriate (Myrtleford) should have them."
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