PORT Melbourne’s Shane Valenti was named the VFL’s best-and-fairest player for the second year in a row after a runaway victory in the JJ Liston Trophy count last Monday. It was just the third time in Liston history that a player has won back-to-back trophies, and only the sixth time a player has won it twice. Valenti, who was delisted from Melbourne in 2009, had already polled 14 votes after six rounds, and finished the season with 25 votes. The goalkicker had already secured victory with three rounds to go. Casey’s Matthew Bate was runner-up with 15 votes, while Williamstown’s Ben Jolley finished third with 13 votes. It was a far different scenario than last year, when Valenti, 24, tied for the trophy with North Ballarat’s Steve Clifton, who has signed on with new AFL franchise Greater Western Sydney.
BEN Davies and Ben Jolley were Williamstown’s two representatives in the VFL team of the year, announced at the JJ Liston Trophy last week. Goalsneak Robbie Castello was Werribee’s only player in the starting 18, while new recruit Matthew O’Dwyer deservedly earnt a spot on the bench. Davies and Jolley, who came third in the trophy count with 13 votes, occupied the centre line and were joined by Box Hill’s Sam Gibson. Williamstown captain Brett Johnson was an unlucky exclusion, but with the likes of Myles Sewell (North Ballarat) and Tom Sundberg (Collingwood) named in the midfield, there were always going to be some worthy omissions. Castello was a shoe-in for a half-forward flank position. He’s had another superb year. O’Dwyer, who was delisted from the Sydney Swans, had shown to possess composure, class, and a massive engine down back. As a ball user he is a class above and is potentially Werribee’s best AFL prospect. Ben Sharp would have been knocking on the door of the team of the year, but his influential but unassuming style of play isn’t eye-catching.
PORT Melbourne small forward Patrick Rose is not holding his breath for an AFL contract to come his way. Speaking at the Liston Trophy night after accepting the Frosty Miller medal for highest goalkicker (67 goals), the former Williamstown player and Bulldogs rookie said it was probably too late for a second chance. “It would be nice to play AFL footy, but I’m 25 now, and I’m pretty happy working and playing footy for Port Melbourne,” he said. Rose said that after six years with Williamstown and after being de-listed by the Bulldogs at the end of last year, he needed to re-assess his footy career, and was impressed with Port Melbourne coach Gary Ayres’ sales pitch.
WERRIBEE’S Jarrod Mather could well have been wearing the A. Todd medal had he played most of the season in the VFL reserves. The nuggety midfielder polled fourth in the medal count with 11 votes, but only played six games for the reserves this year. From round eight onwards Mather was a permanent fixture in the seniors, and has been on of the first team’s most consistent performers. Mather polled two votes in the Liston Trophy, but more importantly has cemented a spot in the senior side after a horror three years with injury. Travis Tuck was Werribee’s biggest votegetter in the Liston Trophy with 10 votes – an impressive achievement considering he played his first game for the Tigers in round eight. Ben Sharp polled seven votes, while Majak Daw and Cam Pedersen, who played most of the second half of the year with North Melbourne, polled six votes.
