The Pigeons’ Willie Wheeler capped off a great season winning the Ovens & Murray League Morris Medal by one vote on Monday night.
Photo by
Les_Garbutt
Yarrawonga’s dynamic onballer Willie Wheeler claimed Ovens and Murray league’s prestigious Morris Medal on Monday night at the SS&A Club in Albury.
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The 32-year-old polled 17 votes to beat Albury’s Isaac Muller by one vote. Three players finished on 14 votes: Wangaratta Rovers pair Sam Murray and Brodie Filo, and North Albury’s Tim Broomhead.
Yarrawonga’s Cam Wilson received 13 votes; Pigeon Perry-Lewis Smith 12.
The rumour is the Willie Wheeler and injured captain Leigh Masters only do things together according to Yarrawonga Football Netball Club President Ross Mulquiney.
“In 2022 YFNC captain Leigh Masters took out the medal and now two years later Willie of course joined his good mate in the rarified air,” he said.
“One for the team”, Wheeler with his Morris Medal on Monday night.
“As a player Wheeler possesses clean hands and the ability to work as well in a phone booth as the wide expanses.
“Gifted by foot, either left or right and with the ability to make the game seemingly slow down ball in hand the way only good players can.”
The Pigeons were able to secure both Masters and Wheeler in a recruiting master stroke by Kane Smith and Mark Whiley in late 2019.
“Mark and Kane identified these two players as foundations upon which to commence a re-build of the Pigeons and along with some other players added along the journey have formed the core nucleus Mark and Kane had hoped for,” the president said.
“His start to his time at the Pigeons was difficult with a serious foot injury which threatened to finish his Pigeons career before it even began but his dedication to rehab saw him make a recovery for the 2022 season hitting his straps with his second half in the 2022 Grand Final in partnership with Lach Howe inspiring a near Pigeon miracle. 2023 and now 2024 have been stand out years for the ‘Wombat’ with Daine Runnalls penning an ode to the special #24.”
Perry Lewis-Smith was named in the league’s team of the year and voted MVP in the interleague.
Photo by
Les_Garbutt
It was a big night for Yarrawonga on Monday night. Other big announcements included:
Interleague MVP - Perry Lewis-Smith
Life Membership - Andy Jaques
B Grade hot shots - Briar Rodaughan
C Grade b & f runner up - Kirby Holmquest
C Grade hot shots (leading goal scorer) - Matilda Jaques.
In the league’s netball team of the year, Yarrawonga had three representatives: GD/ Captain - Kylie Leslie, GA - Kaleisha Pell, interchange - Laura Ryan.
Kylie was Yarrawonga’s highest in the league votes for the Toni Wilson Medal with 15 votes. North Albury’s Emily Brown with 31 points from Maggie St John of Wodonga Raiders on 26.
The league’s football team of the year featured centre half forward- Leigh Williams, wing - Perry Lewis Smith, centre - Willie Wheeler, full back - Ned Pendergast and coach of the year - Steve Johnson.
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