Bentick, Young take out 2015 Woodrow Medal

Congratulations to St Bernard’s Adam Bentick and University Blues’ Ross Young on winning the 2015 Woodrow Medal at Crown Casino last night.

In front of a packed River Room, Bentick and Young finished the count on 19 votes each, just one ahead of Old Carey’s Cameron Howat.

On 19 votes at the end of Round 12, Bentick was able to hold on to the joint-lead despite not polling in the last six rounds of the season. His early season form held him in good stead for the remainder of the count as he polled five best on grounds in the first eight rounds.

Trailing Bentick by seven votes at the same Round 12 mark, Young polled consistently throughout the latter stages of the count, with a three-vote match against Old Scotch in Round 17 sitting him equal with the St Bernard’s star.

Old Trinity’s Gabe Hamilton and Young’s teammates, Jeremy Mugavin and Marshall Rippon, rounded out the top six on 14 and 13 votes, respectively.

Last year’s Woodrow medallist, Brendan Iezzi, dominated the count in its early stages, polling 12 votes and leading all comers before suffering a season-ending knee injury in Round 8.

Contrarily, Rippon did not poll a vote in the first nine rounds of the year but came home like a freight train with four best on ground performances in the second half of the season.

It was the VAFA’s first joint-medal win since 2009 when De La Salle pair, Matthew Fieldsend and David Lowe, took home the win on 18 votes apiece.

The leader board is posted below: