East Perth player and Dunsborough boy Stan Wright was last night named 2015 winner of the RediMed Colts Jack Clarke Medal with a total of 42 votes.
Wright finished nine votes ahead of West Perth’s Clint Hinchliffe on 33, while Peel Thunder’s Keegan Power came third with 31 votes during the medal count dinner at Domain Stadium.
Also in the top 12 this year were Noah Hura (South Mandurah/Peel), Declan Mountford (North Albany/Calremont), Michael Humble (South Mandurah/Peel) and Brett Millword (Pinjarra/Peel).
WAFL Talent Manager Raff Guadagnino said Wright was the first 17-year-old winner of the medal in recent history after being a very competitive and dynamic player for East Perth this season.
“He has shown the ability to win clearances and contested ball, which has made him a standout midfielder in 2015,” Guadagnino said.
“Stan uses the ball well by foot and can be very damaging going forward as well as playing as a running defender. He is seen as a leader amongst his peers and a difficult player for opposition to match up on. Stan has been training with the Senior group at East Perth since round 19 and has shown as a 17-year-old he has the capability to be one of WA’s rising stars.”
Wright was also named in the RediMed Colts team of the year (attached) and West Perth’s Craig Thomas was named as Coach of the Year.
Guadagnino said that Thomas was also highly deserving of the honour.
“Craig has been a committed and professional servant to the West Perth Football Club and is the WAFL’s most experienced RediMed Colts Coach with five years in the head coaching role,” he said.
“He has also coached at an Amateur and Country level for the past 10 years and is the head of sport at Aranmore College.”
LEADERBOARD
42 – Stanley Wright (East Perth)
33 – Clinton Hinchliffe (West Perth)
31 – Keegan Power (Peel)
30 – Corey Byrne (Perth)
29 – Mitchell Dobson (East Perth)
27 – Noah Hura (Peel)
25 – Declan Mountford (Claremont)
25 – Jordan Snadden (East Freo)
24 – Jamie Foster (South Freo)
23 – Michael Humble (Peel)
23 – Brett Milward (Peel)
23 – Ben Gillard (Swans)
WAFL REDIMED COLTS COACHES AWARD: Chapman Jones – Perth FC
WAFL REDIMED LEADING GOAL KICKER: Brett Milward – Peel Thunder – 49 Goals
WAFL STATE ACADEMY B&F: Brayden Hackett – Swan Districts
ALL AUSTRALIAN: Sam Petrevski-Seton – Claremont
COACH OF THE YEAR: Craig Thomas – West Perth
UMPIRE OF THE YEAR: Matt Costello