St Kilda star Patrick McKay has claimed the inaugural Robert Rose Foundation Victorian Wheelchair Football League Best and Fairest award at the End of Season Presentation Night on Monday.
Held at Punt Road’s Maurice Rioli Room, over 150 guests gathered to celebrate the inaugural season of the first state-wide Australian Football wheelchair competition.
The 28-year-old took home top honours after polling 31 votes, ahead of Richmond’s Riley Fitzgerald (25 votes) and St Kilda’s Ryan Smith (24 votes) and Collingwood’s Richard Amon (24 votes).
McKay was one of the Saints’ most consistent performers, dominating in the centre and up forward on occasions when the game was in the balance.
Known for this quick and fierce attack on the football, McKay played in all eight matches for the season, and was pivotal in the Round 9 draw against eventual premiers Collingwood.
Five AFL Club Best and Fairest award winners were also announced on the night, with Richard Amon (Collingwood FC), Caleb Logan (Essendon FC), Peter Ogunyemi (Hawthorn FC), Yasmina McGlone (Richmond FC) and Patrick McKay (St Kilda) claiming top honours.
The inaugural 2018 Team of the Year was unveiled, with eight players selected in the squad.
Named in the forward line was Richmond’s Riley Fitzgerald and Essendon spearhead Caleb Logan, St Kilda’s Patrick McKay was selected in the centre, Collingwood captain/coach Brendan Stroud and Richmond’s Yasmina McGlone made up the backline, while Collingwood’s Richard Amon, Hawthorn’s Peter Ogunyemi and St Kilda captain Marcus Sander were selected on the interchange.
Richmond’s Riley Fitzgerald capped off his night of awards after securing the Leading Goal Scorer of the Year after chalking up 50 goals for the season, while the St Kilda Football Club received the AFL Values Award for consistently displaying the values of the AFL and the League.
TOP 10 VOTES
Patrick McKay 32 votes
Riley Fitzgerald 25 votes
Richard Amon 24 votes
Ryan Smith 24 votes
Caleb Logan 23 votes
Tim Nield 17 votes
Yasmina McGlone 17 votes
Judeland Antony 16 votes
Brendan Stroud 16 votes
Mark Walker 15 votes
Peter Ogunyemi 15 votes
* VOTING: Throughout the year, both the Team Captains and the Umpires voted at the end of each match. These votes have been combined in order to give us our League Best & Fairest winner.
