Tumbarumba's Jim 'Muddy' Waters has proven last year's win was no 'fluke' after capturing his second consecutive Upper Murray league best and fairest award.

Subscribe now for unlimited access.

$0/

(min cost $0)

or signup to continue reading

See subscription options

Waters tied with team-mate Jacob Read last year.

He polled 15 votes to beat prized Cudgewa recruit Josh Bartel with 11 votes on Saturday night at the count held at the Corryong Youth Club Hall.

Tumbarumba's Jim 'Muddy' Waters captured his second successive league best and fairest on Saturday night.

The 29-year-old polled strongly in the second-half of the season and had an unassailable four vote lead heading into the final round.

Waters revealed he copped plenty of feedback last year that he had fluked his medal win.

"Last year everyone said I fluked or got lucky winning the league medal," Waters said.

"So to fluke it two years in a row now, I feel extremely lucky.

"To be honest, I was surprised to win it again and so were my family and friends judging by all their phone calls on Sunday.

"Winning the medal does mean a lot to me and the club.

"Internally at the club, I wouldn't even be rated in the top-five players.

"So it was massively exciting on Saturday night for me to go back-to-back."

Waters in action for Tumbarumba on the weekend against Cudgewa.

Waters plays predominantly in the midfield for the Roos who were thumped by 17-goals in the second semi-final against raging flag favourites Cudgewa on the weekend.

"I thought I had a really consistent season," he said.

"I put in a lot of work this year because as my body has gotten a bit older I realise I can't just rock up on Saturday's.

"I lost a fair bit of weight during the off-season and started going to the gym which I had never done previously.

"I put a lot of effort in and it's obviously a team sport and I thought I played my role for the team this year."

Jason Bartel in action for Cudgewa.

Pre-count Waters was tipping the medal would most likely be won by one of Cudgewa's star players with the Blues undefeated and on a 13-match winning streak.

"I thought a Cudgewa player would win the medal for sure," he said.

"We didn't win as many matches this season as we did last year.

"Playing as a midfielder in a losing team, it's hard to get votes.

"So I thought Jason or Josh Bartel or even Darcy McKimmie as the best winning hopes.

"I think they finished second, third and fourth.

"So to their own detriment, they were taking votes from each other which has cost them in the end but they have all had super seasons.

"You only have to look at the Team of the Year and it's full of Cudgewa boys which is no surprise."

Waters fires off a handball against Cudgewa.

Waters failed to make a speech at last year's count after admitting he was too drunk.

"Last year we didn't play the day of the vote count so I had quite a few beers throughout the day before the count," he said.

"I got to the vote count and wasn't expecting to poll many votes so I had a heap more beers.

"I was too drunk to make a speech.

"Dad (Mont) is president and this year came up to me before the count and said 'mate, I think you might poll well again this year, don't have too much to drink.'

"At the half-way point, I wasn't even on the leaderboard and I thought to myself the old man was having me on and trying to stitch me up.

"So I had a few beers to relax during the second-half of the vote count and the votes started to roll in.

"I was four votes ahead going into the last round and that's when the emotion of winning hit me and a few team-mates came over and gave me a pat on the back.

"It was a pretty special feeling knowing that I had gone back to back."