By ADEM SARICAOGLU
KEILOR ruckman Andrew Browne saluted his first year in the Essendon District Football League with the Dick Reynolds Medal around his neck.
Browne was a revelation in the Premier Division throughout the year and as a result was the clear winner in last week’s count polling a whopping 27 votes, nine ahead of Avondale Heights century goal-kicker, Patrick Rose.
Afterward, Browne spoke of his pride in taking out the EDFL’s top individual prize.
“It’s an honour, obviously there are some good players that have picked it up before and I really do love Keilor as a footy club,” Browne said.
“To be able to represent them and represent them well and look after the Keilor Football Club (and) give a bit back to them means a lot to me.”
After donning the yellow and black of Richmond on 12 occasions, Browne was delisted by the AFL club after failing to get a game in 2012.
Thrown into the footballing wilderness, Browne landed in Keilor last November a renewed man, and under the guidance of revered coach Mick McGuane, flourished to become the premier ruckman of the EDFL.
“He’s fantastic,” Browne said of McGuane.
“He’s a lot of the reason why I went there in the end.
“To have not only a coach that knows the game well but even back when he was playing footy as a player, someone that I looked up to as well, it makes a difference to have someone there that you can respect and value their opinion highly.”
Browne will be jetting off overseas in October and at this stage has not put pen to paper for another year at Keilor, but at this stage remains confident he’ll be a Blue again in 2014, having verbally agreed to stay on board.
To go with his new Reynolds Medal, Browne was also selected as the starting ruckman in the Premier Division’s team of the year, with team-mate Luke Cartelli slotting in on the bench.
Taylors Lakes guns Matt Morelli, Mark Xuereb, Adrian Longo and Mark DeSousa all got into the Division One side, while six Hillside players made the final 22 in the Division Two team.
The Division Two side also featured five East Keilor players and two from Keilor Park.
