Moore had 17 votes heading into the final game and failed to poll, leaving Albury midfielder Fletcher Carroll as the only player capable of equalling his tally with a best-on-ground display.

However, Carroll snared just the one vote against Myrtleford to finish with 15, with Moore's Pies team-mate Joe Richards jumping into second with 16 after grabbing maximum votes against Yarrawonga.

It's his second top-five finish after sharing equal fifth, also with 16 votes, in 2019.

Last year's competition was wiped out by COVID, while this year's was reduced from 18 games to 13.

Pre-count fancy Abraham Ankers finished fourth with 14, highlighting the Pies' star power.

"I'm pretty overwhelmed with emotions, my first ever medal to be honest, coming through the juniors, I'd never won anything," Moore revealed.

Moore banked his win on the back of a lightning start where he polled in six of the first seven matches.

He picked up two best-on-grounds in that stretch against Corowa-Rutherglen in round four and three games later against Wodonga, but it was a mark of the year contender against Wangaratta Rovers and a phenomenal goal against North Albury in round six, where he snared one vote, which announced his arrival.

"He did something in the last quarter that I just shook my head, he got the footy on the wing, got around a bloke, had six bounces and kicked a banana (goal), it was incredible," coach Dean Stone enthused at the time.

Moore joined the Pies after playing two games for Carlton in 2020.

He had previously played eight games for Richmond's all-conquering outfit, highlighting the class needed to break into that outfit.

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The O and M was forced to hold the Morris Medal so late in the year due to COVID.

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