Maryborough's Taj Bond and Sandhurst's Charlotte Sexton were crowned the BFNL's Rising Star winners for 2023.
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The BFNL held its Michelsen Medal pre-vote count on Monday night where the announcements of the Rising Star winners was one of the highlights of the night.
Athletic ruck/forward Bond showed great promise at senior level with the Magpies and at Coates Talent League level with the Bendigo Pioneers.
He was also a key reason behind the Magpies' under-18s advancing to the second week of the BFNL finals.
Sexton took a giant step forward in 2023, earning selection in the Victorian team for the 19-and-under national championships.
Strong performances at the carnival led to selection in the Australian under-19 team and the Victorian Fury squad for the Australian Netball Championships.
The athletic defender made a huge impression with the star-studded Dragons' A-grade and A-reserve teams when available for BFNL matches.
Bond's win in the football Rising Star award capped a huge night for Maryborough FNC.
His team-mate Tom Myers polled 25 votes to win the Symons Medal as best and fairest in under-18 football.
Another young Magpie, Ella Patten, polled 30 votes to win the Sing Medal as best and fairest in 17-and-under netball.
Gisborne's Boyd Nalder won back-to-back McDonald Medal's in the reserves football competition.
After sharing the award with team-mate Jacob Murphy last year, Nalder claimed the medal on his own this year, edging out Eaglehawk's Jacob Greenwood by one vote.
Sandhurst's Kelsey Ralph had a brilliant season in A-reserve netball and was a worthy winner of the Holborn Medal.
Ralph polled 25 votes - three clear of South Bendigo's Stephanie Greene.
Gisborne netball clubmates Bella Connors and Claudia Mawson were honoured for their performances at inter-league level.
Connors was named best player for ther 17-and-under representative program, while Mawson was crowned best player for open netball representative program.
The vote counts for the BFNL's highest individual awards - Michelsen Medal (senior football) and Betty Thompson Medal (A-grade netball) - will be held on Sunday night.
The winners of Monday night's pre-vote count will be presented with their awards on Michelsen Medal night.
SING MEDAL 17-AND-UNDER NETBALL
Winner - Ella Patten (Maryborough) 30 votes. Runner-up - Neve Pinner (Sandhurst) 28 votes.
Leaderboard
- Ella Patten (MB) 30
- Neve Pinner (SH) 28
- Megan Wilson (CM) 26
- Bella Connors (GB) 24
- Reese Gilchrist (SH) 22
- Layla O'Shea (SS) 19
- Maya Dignan (SH) 19
- Eden Clifford (SB) 18
- Ava Broderick (EH) 17
- Abbi Wells (GS) 16
- Dasha Taylor (GB) 16
- Millie Cassidy (MB) 16
- Daisy Stringer (GS) 14
- Gemma Roberts (KF) 14
- Kyla Byrne (CM) 14
- Emma Joyce (GB) 13
- Mikayla Mullen (KF) 13
- Dakota Keanelly (SS) 12
- Abbey Nalder (MB) 11
- Kaylah Moon (GS) 11
B-RESERVE NETBALL
Joint winner: Isabelle Whiteley (Sandhurst) and Ashlye Faulkner (Kangaroo Flat) 26 votes. Runner-up - Kirsandra Shepherd (South Bendigo 24 votes.
Leaderboard
- Ashlye Faulkner (KF) 26
- Isabelle Whiteley (SH) 26
- Kirsandra Shepherd (SB) 24
- Rebecca Ashman (GS) 23
- Meg Johns (SS) 22
- Lily Prater (GB) 20
- Claudia Shelton (KF) 18
- Macey O'Shea (KF) 17
- Lucia Dyer (SH) 14
- Matilda Lockyer (SH) 14
- Paige Mitchener (CM) 13
- Ruby Walsh (SH) 13
- Alex Rusbridge (KF) 12
- Julia Soldatos (CM) 12
- Lucinda Sharp (SS) 12
- Sharni Simpson (EH) 12
- Sophia Davies (GB) 11
- Tegan French (EH) 10
- Kelsey Treacy (EH) 9
- Lexie Moss (EH) 9
BINGHAM MEDAL B-GRADE NETBALL
Winner - Baylee Eve (Kyneton) 32 votes. Runner-up: Isabel Eliades (Eaglehawk) 25 votes.
Leaderboard
- Baylee Eve (KY) 32
- Isabel Eliades (EH) 25
- Briona Giddings (SH) 20
- Darcie Fry (KF) 19
- Matisse Appleby (SB) 16
- Shaina Brook (SB) 16
- Taylah Ranieri (GB) 16
- Lulu Slater (GB) 14
- Chelsea Crapper (SS) 13
- Holly McPhee (GS) 13
- Lani Burns (KF) 13
- Tahlia Isaac (SH) 13
- Aimee Dean (SH) 12
- Lucy Lang (KF) 12
- Chelsie Martyn (SS) 11
- Jorja Lee (GS) 11
- Imogen Currie (SS) 10
- Lindsey Andrews (GS) 10
- Mya Alexander (EH) 10
- Maggie Keating (SH) 9
HOLBORN MEDAL A-RESERVE NETBALL
Winner - Kelsey Ralph (Sandhurst) 25 votes. Runner-up - Stephanie Greene (South Bendigo) 22 votes.
Leaderboard
- Kelsey Ralph (SH) 25
- Stephanie Greene (SB) 22
- Emma Moroney (KF) 20
- Alexandra Russ (GB) 18
- Amanda Walters (SB) 18
- Kelsey Pallpratt (SH) 18
- Rylee Gallagher (EH) 18
- Paige Ryan (SH) 17
- Charlotte Crook (GB) 15
- Emily McDonald (GB) 13
- Rani Madden (EH) 11
- Abbey Grindal (CM) 10
- Ashley Evans (SS) 10
- Bianca Mackay (GB) 10
- Chloe Fletcher (KF) 10
- Gabriella Greene (SH) 10
- Bronte Deary (KF) 9
- Brianna Pedretti (CM) 8
- Tazma Morris (GB) 8
- Jess Lord (CM) 7
GEORGE SYMONS MEDAL UNDER-18 FOOTBALL
Winner - Tom Myers (Maryborough) 25 votes. Runner-up - Zac Wescott (Golden Square) 24 votes.
Leaderboard
- Tom Myers (MB) 25
- Zac Wescott (GS) 24
- Alex Carr (SH) 23
- Lachlan Thompson (KY) 17
- Dayten Uerata (SH) 16
- Jack McMahon (GS) 15
- Kane Minns (GB) 15
- Ben McConachy (CM) 14
- Siologa Siu (SS) 13
- Cody Young (KY) 12
- Jack Lacey (SS) 12
- Xavier Dingfelder-Hope (KF) 12
- Riley Leedham (GB) 11
- Jarrod Ainsworth (GB) 10
- Zach Bird (KF) 10
- Thaine Bake (SH) 9
- Tommi Turner (GS) 9
- Zak Myers (EH) 9
- Bailey Cain (GS) 8
- Damon Nitschke (MB) 8
McDONALD MEDAL RESERVES FOOTBALL
Winner - Boyd Nalder (Gisborne) 16 votes. Runner-up - Jacob Greenwood (Golden Square).
Leaderboard
- Boyd Nalder (GB) 16
- Jacob Greenwood (EH) 15
- Alex Jenkyn (GS) 14
- Bailey Ilsley (EH) 11
- Ryan Pretty (KY) 11
- Ryan Wellington (EH) 11
- Brodie Montague (SH) 10
- Darcy Harris (KY) 10
- Harry Teasdale (SS) 9
- Macey Eaton (GS) 9
- Tim Brooks (KF) 9
- Wade Kinniburgh (SS) 9
- Dale Lowry (GS) 8
- Jack Stewart (GS) 8
- Mark Storey (EH) 8
- Matthew Wiegard (KF) 8
- Ryan Duncan (SS) 8
- Zack Bulger (EH) 8
- Carson James (SS) 7
- Elijah Bretherton (GB) 7
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