A three-year stint in the bush played a major role in Albury's Elliott Powell claiming the Morris Medal last night.
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Powell polled 23 votes to edge out perennial podium placer Callum Moore (Wangaratta) on 21, with Yarrawonga on-baller Mark Whiley (18) and Wodonga's Josh Mathey (16) rounding out the top four.
Moore won on his 2021 debut and was runner-up to Yarrawonga's Leigh Masters last year.
"It's pretty surprising mate to be honest, I was consistent, but I didn't think it was the best year I've ever had in football," he revealed.
Interestingly, Powell said he fell out of love with the game during the season.
"It's hard to pinpoint, just lost the enjoyment in footy for a few weeks there," he explained.
"I guess it happens with a lot of different things in people's lives, footy does take a backward step.
"A lot of the reward goes to me partner (Rachel) because she kept telling me to back up time and time again."
At the halfway mark, Mathey led on 11 votes, with Powell and Moore on nine apiece. Whiley had polled in only two games to sit on five.
Powell snared seven votes from rounds 10-12, but Whiley was the major mover, snaring 13 votes, including four best on grounds, in a stunning six-week surge from round 10.
Heading into the final three rounds, Powell and Whiley had 18 votes apiece, while Moore was two behind.
Powell claimed his fifth best on ground against Wodonga Raiders in round 16 and followed with two against Wodonga.
Moore also posted five votes through the same rounds, but Whiley's Yarrawonga had the bye and he didn't play against Wangaratta Rovers in the penultimate round, ruling him out of contention.
Both Powell and Moore failed to poll in the final round.
In his previous stint in the O and M, Powell finished runner-up to Wodonga Raiders' Jarrod Hodgkin in 2019.
He then moved to Dederang-Mount Beauty in the neighbouring Tallangatta and District Football League.
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There has been a perception that if a player spends an extended period in a bush league and then returns to the higher standard, he won't be as effective and Powell was quizzed on that for The Border Mail season liftout in March.
"When I left I had a number of designated roles, pinch-hit through the midfield and be a dangerous option up forward," he said at the time.
"Out in the bush I was purely a midfielder, I guess in the Ovens and Murray you can have your different types of midfielders, whether it be inside or outside, but in the bush you get to play both styles, you've got to do some of the grunt work and some work outside, I'm hoping my work on the inside, that in and under around the footy, is something that's improved. I don't think I'm going to come back and be a world-beater."
He defied his own prediction with his blistering acceleration and pinpoint delivery into the forward line among the season's highlights.
He also said he's matured in recent years and is now more of a team player.
"I think there's no doubt mate and I think you have to as you get a bit older, you want to keep the younger blokes coming through and I definitely have, it's a part of your career and you have to go through that at some stage." he reasoned.
Powell will look to cap his return home in style against Yarrawonga in Sunday's grand final at Lavington Sportsground.
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Interestingly, some of the pre-count fancies failed to feature, including Wodonga's Angus Baker (8 votes), Yarrawonga's Cam Wilson (5), Wangaratta's Daniel Sharrock (7) and Wangaratta Rovers' coach Sam Murray (8).
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SEASON-OPENER
LAVINGTON v WODONGA
3: Kade Mimmo (Wodonga)2: Oscar Willding (Wodonga)1: Jack Harland (Lavington)
ROUND 1
WANGARATTA ROVERS v WANGARATTA
3: Sam Murray (Rovers)2: Callum Moore (Wangaratta)1: Hunter Gottschling (Wangaratta)
WODONGA v NORTH ALBURY
3: Oscar Willding (Wodonga)2: Josh Mathey (Wodonga)1: Julian Hayes (North Albury)
MYRTLEFORD v LAVINGTON3: Ben Ashley-Cooper (Lavington)2: Kyle Winter-Irving (Myrtleford)1: Chris Annett (Lavington)
YARRAWONGA v ALBURY
3: Jessy Wilson (Albury)2: Jacob Conlan (Albury)1: Isaac Muller (Albury)
ROUND 2
NORTH ALBURY v YARRAWONGA
3: Mark Whiley (Yarrawonga)2: Nicholas Fothergill (Yarrawonga)1: Bailey Frauenfelder (Yarrawonga)
WANGARATTA v WODONGA
3: Josh Mathey (Wodonga)2: Angus Baker (Wodonga)1: Nicholas Hynes (Wodonga)
WODONGA RAIDERS v WANGARATTA ROVERS
3: Cam Ellis-Yolmen (Raiders)2: Dylan Stone (Rovers)1: Ned Conway (Raiders)
ALBURY v MYRTLEFORD
3: Elliott Powell (Albury)2: Jacob Conlan (Albury)1: Lucas Conlan (Albury)
ROUND 3
YARRAWONGA v WANGARATTA
3: Leigh Williams (Yarrawonga)2: Harrison Wheeler (Yarrawonga)1: Brayden Coburn (Yarrawonga)
WANGARATTA ROVERS v LAVINGTON
3: Sam Murray (Rovers)2: Myles Aalbers (Lavington)1: Ewan Mackinlay (Lavington)
WODONGA v WODONGA RAIDERS
3: Josh Mathey (Wodonga)2: Adam Jorgensen (Wodonga)1: Angus Baker (Wodonga)
NORTH ALBURY v ALBURY
3: Alex Jones (Albury)2: Riley Bice (Albury)1: Jessy Wilson (Albury)
ROUND 4
WODONGA RAIDERS v YARRAWONGA
3: Nicholas Fothergill (Yarrawonga)2: Mark Whiley (Yarrawonga)1: Matt Casey (Yarrawonga)
MYRTLEFORD v WANGARATTA ROVERS
3: Dylan Stone (Rovers)2: Mitch Dalbosco (Myrtleford)1: Lockey McCartney (Rovers)
WANGARATTA v NORTH ALBURY
3: Michael Newton (Wangaratta)2: Callum Moore (Wangaratta)1: Jackson Clarke (Wangaratta)
ROUND 5
YARRAWONGA v LAVINGTON
3: Bailey Frauenfelder (Yarrawonga)2: Willie Wheeler (Yarrawonga)1: Macca Hallows (Lavington)
WODONGA v MYRTLEFORD
3: Josh Mathey (Wodonga)2: Simon Curtis (Myrtleford)1: Kade Mimmo (Wodonga)
NORTH ALBURY v WODONGA RAIDERS
3: Josh Minogue (North)2: Cayden Winter (North)1: Nelson Bowey (Raiders)
ALBURY v WANGARATTA
3: Elliott Powell (Albury)2: Callum Moore (Wangaratta)1: Xavier Laverty (Wangaratta)
ROUND 6
MYRTLEFORD v YARRAWONGA
3: Leigh Williams (Yarrawonga)2: Leigh Masters (Yarrawonga)1: Brayden Coburn (Yarrawonga)
WANGARATTA ROVERS v ALBURY
3: Riley Bice (Albury)2: Alex Jones (Albury)1: Lucas Conlan (Albury)
LAVINGTON v NORTH ALBURY
3: Myles Aalbers (Lavington)2: Jackson Weidemann (North)1: Josh Minogue (North)
WODONGA RAIDERS v WANGARATTA
3: Daine Porter (Wangaratta)2: Chris Knowles (Wangaratta)1: Mark Anderson (Wangaratta)
ROUND 7
WODONGA v WANGARATTA ROVERS
3: Dylan Stone (Rovers)2: Brodie Filo (Rovers)1: Sam Murray (Rovers)
NORTH ALBURY v MYRTLEFORD
3: Cayden Winter (North)2: Hayden Cooper (North)1: George Godde (North)
WANGARATTA v LAVINGTON
3: Jackson Clarke (Wangaratta)2: Bradley Melville (Wangaratta)1: Michael Newton (Wangaratta)
ALBURY v WODONGA RAIDERS
3: Elliott Powell (Albury)2: Alex Jones (Albury)1: Tom Bracher (Raiders)
ROUND 8
WANGARATTA ROVERS v YARRAWONGA
3: Toby Murray (Rovers)2: Jack Gerrish (Rovers)1: Michael Gibbons (Yarrawonga)
WODONGA v ALBURY
3: Jake Gaynor (Albury)2: Isaac Muller (Albury)1: Jacob Page (Albury)
MYRTLEFORD v WANGARATTA
3: Callum Moore (Wangaratta)2: Chris Knowles (Wangaratta)1: Liam McVeigh (Wangaratta)
LAVINGTON v WODONGA RAIDERS
3: Tom Hargreave (Lavington)2: Ewan Mackinlay (Lavington)1: Tom Bracher (Raiders)
ROUND 9
YARRAWONGA v WODONGA
3: Ryan Bruce (Yarrawonga)2: David O'Dwyer (Yarrawonga)1: Nick Irvine (Yarrawonga)
NORTH ALBURY v WANGARATTA ROVERS
3: Tim Broomhead (North)2: Nathan Dennis (North)1: George Godde (North)
WODONGA RAIDERS v MYRTLEFORD
3: Cam Ellis-Yolmen (Raiders)2: Harley Bennell (Raiders)1: Elijah Wales (Myrtleford)
ALBURY v LAVINGTON
3: Kolby Heiner-Hennessy (Albury)2: Jessy Wilson (Albury)1: Myles Aalbers (Lavington)
ROUND 10
ALBURY v YARRAWONGA
3: Mark Whiley (Yarrawonga)2: Elliott Powell (Albury)1: Willie Wheeler (Yarrawonga)
NORTH ALBURY v WODONGA
3: Foster GardIner(North)2: Tom Johnson (Wodonga)1: George Godde (North)
LAVINGTON v MYRTLEFORD
3: Shaun Driscoll (Lavington)2: Ewan Mackinlay (Lavington)3: Macca Hallows (Lavington)
WANGARATTA v WANGARATTA ROVERS
3: Jackson Clarke (Wangaratta)2: Chris Knowles (Wangaratta)1: Luke Saunders (Wangaratta)
ROUND 11
YARRAWONGA v NORTH ALBURY
3: Mark Whiley (Yarrawonga)2: Willie Wheeler (Yarrawonga)1: Jack Penny (North)
WODONGA v WANGARATTA
3: Chris Knowles (Wangaratta)2: Hunter Gottschling Wangaratta)1: Adam Jorgensen (Wodonga)
WANGARATTA ROVERS v WODONGA RAIDERS
3: Alex Marklew (Rovers)2: Cam Ellis-Yolmen (Raiders)1: Cody Schutt (Rovers)
MYRTLEFORD v ALBURY
3: Riley Bice (Albury)2: Elliott Powell (Albury)1: Mitch Dalbosco (Myrtleford)
ROUND 12
WANGARATTA v YARRAWONGA
3: Harrison Wheeler (Yarrawonga)2: Mat Grossman (Wangaratta)1: Callum Moore (Wangaratta)
WODONGA RAIDERS v WODONGA
3: Jett Cassidy (Wodonga)2: Jack O'Sullivan (Wodonga)1: Adam Jorgensen (Wodonga)
LAVINGTON v WANGARATTA ROVERS
3: Brodie Filo (Rovers)2: Alex Marklew (Rovers)1: Tim Hanna (Lavington)
ALBURY v NORTH ALBURY
3: Elliott Powell (Albury)2: Brayden O'Hara (Albury)1: George Godde (North Albury)
ROUND 13
YARRAWONGA v WODONGA RAIDERS
3: Mark Whiley (Yarrawonga)2: Leigh Williams (Yarrawonga)1: Cam Ellis-Yolmen (Raiders)
WODONGA v LAVINGTON
3: Angus Baker (Wodonga)2: Ewan Mackinlay (Lavington)1: Josh Mathey (Wodonga)
WANGARATTA ROVERS v MYRTLEFORD
3: Will Christie (Rovers)2: Thomas Boyd (Rovers)1: Alex McCarthy (Rovers)
NORTH ALBURY v WANGARATTA
3: Callum Moore (Wangaratta)2: Liam McVeigh (Wangaratta)1: Cayden Winter (North)
ROUND 14
WANGARATTA v ALBURY
3: Rhys King (Albury)2: Elliott Powell (Albury)1: Jake Gaynor (Albury)
WODONGA RAIDERS v NORTH ALBURY
3: Cam Ellis-Yolmen (Raiders)2: Tim Broomhead (North)1: George Godde (North)
LAVINGTON v YARRAWONGA
3: Willie Wheeler (Yarrawonga)2: Cam Wilson (Yarrawonga)1: Mark Whiley (Yarrawonga)
MYRTLEFORD v WODONGA
3: Jack O'Sullivan (Wodonga)2: Angus Baker (Wodonga)1: Adam Jorgensen (Wodonga)
ROUND 15
YARRAWONGA v MYRTLEFORD
3: Mark Whiley (Yarrawonga)2: Cam Wilson (Yarrawonga)1: Nick Fothergill (Yarrawonga)
ALBURY v WANGARATTA ROVERS
3: Isaac Muller (Albury)2: Jake Gaynor (Albury)1: Sam Murray (Rovers)
NORTH ALBURY v LAVINGTON
3: Josh Minogue (North)2: Tim Broomhead (North)1: Jackson Weidemann (North)
WANGARATTA v WODONGA RAIDERS
3: Callum Moore (Wangaratta)2: Daniel Sharrock (Wangaratta)3: Chris Knowles (Wangaratta)
ROUND 16
WANGARATTA ROVERS v WODONGA
3: Josh Mathey (Wodonga)2: Jett Cassidy (Wodonga)1: Jack Gerrish (Rovers)
MYRTLEFORD v NORTH ALBURY
3: Kyle Winter-Irving (Myrtleford)2: Will McKerral (Myrtleford)1: Cayden Winter (North)
LAVINGTON v WANGARATTA
3: Daniel Sharrock (Wangaratta)2: Callum Moore (Wangaratta)1: Nick Newton (Lavington)
WODONGA RAIDERS v ALBURY
3: Elliott Powell (Albury)2: Isaac Muller (Raiders)1: Brydan Hodgson (Albury)
ROUND 17
WANGARATTA v MYRTLEFORD
3: Callum Moore (Wangaratta)2: Daniel Sharrock (Wangaratta)1: Fraser Ellis (Wangaratta)
WODONGA RAIDERS v LAVINGTON
3: Tim Hanna (Lavington)2: Ewan Mackinlay (Lavington)1: Sam Hopper (Lavington)
YARRAWONGA V WANGARATTA ROVERS
3: Willie Wheeler (Yarrawonga)2: Dylan Conway (Yarrawonga)1: Cam Wilson (Yarrawonga)
ALBURY v WODONGA
3: Jake Gaynor (Albury)2: Elliott Powell (Albury)1: Isaac Muller (Albury)
ROUND 18
WODONGA v YARRAWONGA
3: Logan Morey (Yarrawonga)2: Bailey Frauenfelder (Yarrawonga)1: Josh Mathey (Wodonga)
WANGARATTA ROVERS v NORTH ALBURY
3: Dylan Wilson (Rovers)2: Brodie Filo (Rovers)1: Darcy Wilson (Rovers)
MYRTLEFORD v WODONGA RAIDERS
3: Elijah Wales (Myrtleford)2: Hayden Clarke (Raiders)1: Brad St John (Raiders)
LAVINGTON v ALBURY
3: Kolby Heiner-Hennessy (Albury)2: Riley Bice (Albury)1: Luke Garland (Lavington)
LEADERBOARD
23: Elliott Powell (Albury)21: Callum Moore (Wangaratta)18: Mark Whiley (Yarrawonga)16: Josh Mathey (Wodonga)12: Cam Ellis-Yolmen (Raiders)11: Willie Wheeler (Yarrawonga)10: Chris Knowles (Wangaratta)10: Riley Bice (Albury)
