Full-forward Weeks won a thrilling Heathcote District Football League Cheatley Medal count on Sunday with 19 votes.

With the last votes of the count, Weeks polled three for his 20 goals against Heathcote in round 18 to overtake White Hills’ Hayden Wright (17).

Weeks – who topped the league goalkicking with 119 - came home with a wet sail in the medal. He had just five votes to round nine, before polling 14 in the second half of the season. 

In his first season back at Colbinabbin since 2009, Weeks was awarded five best on grounds – round 1 v White Hills (10 goals); round 12 v Mount Pleasant (10 goals); round 14 v LBU (11 goals); round 17 v Elmore (15 goals) and round 18 v Heathcote (20 goals).

It’s a well-earned medal for Weeks, who three times had been a red-hot Bendigo league Michelsen Medal favourite in his three years at Golden Square between 2010 and 2012 when he kicked 145, 125 and 148 home and away goals, but couldn’t get over the line.

“After those years in Bendigo I thought I’d probably never win one, so it’s quite surprising,” Weeks said.

Weeks was presented with the medal by his coach Phil “Toot” Morgan – a two-time winner of the Cheatley Medal in 1986 and 1990.

“It was a great honour to be presented with it by Toot… I’ve always idolised him,” Weeks said.

Weeks returned from Rochester to Colbinabbin this year for the Grasshoppers’ centenary season, which ended on Saturday with a preliminary final loss to North Bendigo.

He is yet to make a decision on whether he will play with Colbinabbin again next year, or return to Rochester.

Cheatley Medal leaderboard:

19 – Grant Weeks (Colbo)

17 – Hayden Wright (WH)

16 – Jeremy Mills (NB)

13 – Simon Seddon (Mt P)

• Leitchville-Gunbower centre Lauren Dehne became the second Bombers’ player in as many years to win the Ester Cheatley Medal as the A-grade netball best and fairest.

Dehne, who has been playing with the Bombers for seven seasons, won with 28 votes, a year after team-mate Jodie Lake won.

Dehne polled in 12 of the Bombers’ 16 games, including seven where she was best on court.

“I feel like I’ve done my job each week, so it’s nice to be recognised,” Dehne said.

Ester Cheatley Medal leaderboard:

28 – Lauren Dehne (LG)

24 – Tamara Gilchrist (NB)

21 – Janene Cass (WH)

18 – Olivia McEvoy (Colbo)