By David Nagel
Andrew Soumilas, Brendan Kimber and Cameron Pedersen.
It’s a short but illustrious honour roll of league best and fairest winners that is quickly distinguishing the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition (WGFNC) as a rising force in community football.
Soumilas, the crafty inside mid, Kimber, the raging bull, and Pedersen, the pre-eminent ruckman in the WGFNC have already stamped their name into league folklore.
On Thursday night – 1 September – via an online count, we will find out if Kimber or Pedersen can add further lustre to already magnificent careers, or will a new name be added to the list!
Pedersen, the reigning back-to-back champion of 2019 and ’21, has had another superb season.
He may not have dominated to the extent of his previous success stories, but the Bulldogs champion will once again be right in the thick of the action.
Playing consistently well in a team that wins a majority of its matches is the very simple key to success…and Pedersen and the Bulldogs have ticked both of those boxes again this year.
Expect Bulldogs’ skipper Jaymie Youle to begin with a bang, but playing only 13 games will hinder his chances – but may advance Pedersen’s quest for three medals on the trot.
Tooradin-Dalmore has been the dominant force this season, but will an array of talented stars pull votes away from each other?
Collingwood premiership player Brent Macaffer has had a sensational season through the midfield, but has eye-catching types like Blake Grewar, Piva Wright and Adam Oxley by his side who are sure to attract attention.
Macaffer could bolt this in and win by plenty – he’s had a stack of the Sherrin this year – but you get the feeling that the overall spread of the Seagulls will stop a one-act affair from happening.
But ‘Caf’ is certainly right in the mix.
Inverloch-Kongwak is still licking its wounds from a shock elimination final loss to Warragul Industrials, but the Sea Eagles have three class midfielders that could feature strongly on Thursday night.
Corey Casey is a dashing type that plays with flair, while Ethan Park is a hard-working midfielder that is always at the bottom of packs.
But it might be the exquisite skills and goal-kicking abilities of Oscar Toussaint that catch the umpire’s attention.
Toussaint kicked 24 goals for the season and we’ll go for him to be the Sea Eagles leading hope this year.
Midfield tyro’s Trent Armour and Brendan Hermann, and gun full-forward Dermott Yawney, would appear to be Nar Nar Goon’s best chance of success, while league leading goalkicker Nathan Gardiner will storm home from Cora Lynn.
Gardiner kicked bags of seven, six, 13 and seven in his last four rounds and did some earlier damage as well.
He could be the ace in the pack when it comes to forwards.
If there is to be a surprise from outside the top six it could come this year from Dalyston, Kilcunda-Bass or Kooweerup.
Michael Marotta and Curtis Murfett have dominated possession for Dalyston, but very rarely would there be a winner that has only won two games.
Kilcunda-Bass has been more productive, winning seven, and midfielder Nathan Foote and ruckman Dale Gawley have been flying the flag all season.
Gawley has had some huge games this year, with midfield numbers, and could work his way into contention late in the count.
Mitch Cammarano and Nathan Voss are proven vote-getters for Kooweerup, while Will Papley has had some standout games for Bunyip.
Here’s a closer look at all of the team’s chances:
BUNYIP
The Bulldogs won eight games, including three of their first four, so there is the potential for one of their shining lights to get off to a busy start. Will Papley is the most eye-catching of the Bulldogs mid-slash-forwards, so expect him to poll well, while consistency around the contest will see Nathan Allen and skipper Jeb McLeod also attract some votes.
Prediction: One of Allen, McLeod or Papley to sneak into the teens!
CORA LYNN
The Cobras won 12 of their last 13 games to catapult into the finals, so could this be their year? Nathan Gardiner is a proven vote-getter and eight times kicked five goals or more, including bags of 13, 9 and 8, and kicked 7 on three occasions. After a slow start, Billy Thomas had a superb year in the ruck, while Heath and Jaxon Briggs are other to keep an eye on.
Prediction: Gardiner to storm home late…but just miss!
DALYSTON
Winning just two games for the season makes it almost impossible to poll well, but the Magpies have had two standout performers this year who could make their way to double-figures. Michael Marotta is all class through the midfield, while Curtis Murfett was in the Magpies’ best players list in 17 of 18 outings.
Prediction: Marotta to poll maximum votes in both of the Magpies wins, in rounds three and 10.
GARFIELD
The young Stars have been brave this year but were dealt heavy defeats in 14 of their 18 games so will only have limited opportunities to poll votes. Single-figure losses in rounds five and 11 present some chances, while you would expect them to clean up all six votes in a 70-point round-17 win over Dalyston.
Prediction: Zac Soutar or Gus Emery to be the only Stars’ player to poll in two games.
INVERLOCH-KONGWAK
The Sea Eagles certainly have the class to win the medal this season, with Oscar Toussaint and Corey Casey eye-catching types through the midfield, while Ethan Park is another that is sure to attract the umpire’s attention. Toussaint kicked multiple goals from the midfield on five occasions this year, kicking 26 goals, so could be the player to watch.
Prediction: Toussaint and Casey to both finish top-10!
KILCUNDA-BASS
Every year there’s a smoky that jumps out from the pack, and the Panthers might be the ones to provide it this year. Dale Gawley has lived up to his big raps and had a superb year in the ruck, gathering 35 to 40 possessions in some games. At Gawley’s feet, Nathan Foote has been super-consistent in the midfield, while key-target Taylor Gibson is absolute beast when on!
Prediction: Not enough victories to win it…but watch for Gawley to poll well!
KORUMBURRA-BENA
Might be a really tough count for the Giants, winning just one game and being competitive in only four others. Darcy Hargrave and Bailey Nation might poll a vote here or there, while gun-recruit Paul Fermanis had some magical moments that might stick in the minds of the umpires.
Prediction: Hargrave to poll in three or four games and maybe sneak his way to five!
KOOWEERUP
The Demons had Tim Miller and Mitch Cammarano finish top-five last year with ‘Camma’ once again having a consistent season. Matt Voss, Cosi Anagnostou and Nathan Voss might steal votes away from him this year, but the umpires seem to love him. Jason Wells kicked six goals or more on seven occasions, so could also poll impressively.
Prediction: Cammarano to surprise and once again finish top-10!
NAR NAR GOON
Dermott Yawney kicking goals, and Trent Armour and Brendan Hermann causing havoc through the midfield…they appear to be the Goon’s biggest hopes. Armour has had a great season, while Hermann missed some footy with a collarbone and that may harm his chances. Ruckman Eamon Trigg is eye-catching, and right in the umpire’s vision…he may also poll well.
Prediction: Armour to be right in the thick of things with three or four rounds to go.
PHILLIP ISLAND
Can the Doggies make it four in a row? Brendan Kimber (2018) and Cam Pedersen (2019, 21) have won the last three, with Pedersen probably starting joint-favourite this year with Tooradin’s Brent Macaffer as he looks for a unique treble. Skipper Jaymie Youle had a great start to the season, but only played 13 games, while Kimber was once again rock-solid with his performances.
Prediction: Pedersen to tie with Macaffer and make it three on the bounce!
TOORADIN-DALMORE
Winning 17 games gives players like Brent Macaffer, Blake Grewar, Adam Oxley and Piva Wright a great platform to win this year’s medal. Macaffer and Grewar are sure to poll well and be right in the thick of the action, while Oxley and Wright are the X-factors…they could poll bugger all or be right there when the whips are cracking.
Prediction: Collingwood premiership player Macaffer could run away with this…but we’ll settle for a tie with Pedersen!
WARRAGUL INDUSTRIALS
The Dusties strength is their evenness around the ground, which might win finals but doesn’t bode well in this type of event. Super-star Shane Brewster was their leading vote-getter last year with just six! Will Gibson has been a workhorse through the middle of the ground, while Brewster and the class of Luke Walker might stand out from the crowd.
Prediction: Maybe Gibson and Walker to lead the way…but there’s no-one in serious contention you would think!
OUR TIPS
TO WIN: Brent Macaffer and Cameron Pedersen
CLOSE UP: Trent Armour and Oscar Toussaint
SURPRISE PACKETS: Dale Gawley and Piva Wright
WGFNC LEAGUE BEST AND FAIREST
PAST WINNERS
SENIOR FOOTBALL
Year Player Club
2017 Andrew Soumilas Inverloch-Kongwak
2018 Brendan Kimber Phillip Island
2019 Cameron Pedersen Phillip Island
2021 Cameron Pedersen Phillip Island
