WRFL best-and-fairest winner Tim Jenkins streaks away from Albion’s Jason Butina. 67889 Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT
BY MICHAEL ESPOSITO
ST ALBANS centreman Tim Jenkins became just the fourth footballer in history to claim back-to-back Barry Priest medals for the Western Region Football League’s best-and-fairest player.
The dynamic midfielder polled 19 votes, one ahead of Albion’s Marcus Smith and two ahead of Altona’s Reece Miles. Spotswood’s Tom Langlands and Jai Audley polled 16 and 15 votes respectively.
Jenkins was holidaying with his team-mates in Queensland when the news filtered through about 10.30pm on Friday.
“I was sitting at a pub with a few of the boys and one of them got a message through that I won it and I sort of couldn’t believe it to be honest,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins said he struggled with the extra attention by opposition players given to him this season.
“My season this year was nowhere near as consistent as last year. This year I did cop fairly heavy tags and it took me a while to change my game to get back on top. It was more up and down this year than last year that’s for sure.
“I had a good start to the year, for the first five games played really well, then the tags started to really get to me.”
Jenkins returned to his best in the latter start of the season, after heeding some sound advice by coach Ian Denny.
“Ian said to me just take it as a compliment that you’re getting tagged, don’t worry about what’s actually happening and see how it goes, and towards the end of the year I was able to put together some good form coming into the end of the finals.”
The 23-year-old has not ruled out the possibility of playing at VFL level. He was invited to train with Williamstown two years ago, but by his own admission was not ready to take the next step.
This season he turned down the opportunity because he had begun teaching and did not want his job to compromise his football commitments and vice versa.
“I personally think I’d be capable of playing VFL senior footy if that opportunity was to come. Last year I had the opportunity to go and see how I went, but I started teaching this year and I wasn’t sure what my commitments were going to be in terms of teaching and I didn’t want to try it if I didn’t give it my all.”
Meanwhile, Deer Park’s Robert Trajkovski was a runaway winner in the Division Two best-and-fairest count.
Trajkovski claimed the Alan Smith medal with 25 votes, nine ahead of team-mate James Condos, and 10 ahead of West Footscray’s Lindon Harris.
Hoppers Crossing premiership player Matthew Poland was named the under-18 Division One best player, while Point Cook’s Jordan Lampi took out the under-18 Division Two award.
Deer Park’s Kevin Klix, who was promoted to the senior team and played in the Lions’s record grand final victory, was named rookie of the year.
