Collie's Travis Cleggett named the 2017 SWFL Hayward Medallist

The 21-year-old had an outstanding season which included four best-on-ground appearances in the eyes of the umpires voting for the 72nd annual best-and-fairest prize. 

He claimed the competition’s top individual honour with 25 votes, five ahead of Augusta-Margaret River’s Mitch Lynn and Donnybrook’s Kieran Hug. 

Earlier in the night Cleggett was also named as the SWFL’s rising star. 

“Coming here tonight I thought I had a chance of winning the rising star award and a few of the boys thought I was a sneaky chance of getting the Hayward but I didn’t believe them,” he said. 

“If I had thought I was a chance, I would have had fewer beers!”

On a more serious note, he thanked his family for their support and praised his teammates who were busy preparing for the weekend’s game against Harvey. 

“It’s been a good season for us and it’s not quite over yet,” he said. “I’m humbled by this award and I can’t believe I’m up there with the names of the previous winners who we know so well.”

It was a big night too for Bunbury’s Trisha Lake who was won the first Nola Marino medal as best-and-fairest in the women’s competition. 

She also won the women’s goal-kicking award with 37 majors across 10 games.

Cleggett’s Collie teammate Joel Houghton won the league goal kicking award in his first year with the SWFL, booting 59 goals. 

Taine Williams from HBL kicked the most goals in the colts competition with 63 while Chris Strano led the reserves competition with 51 majors. 

Donnybrook Football Club’s Kieran Hug was named the coach’s player of the year while Kai Luzi from Bunbury was crowned colts player of the year and Jayden Smith from Carey Park won reserves player of the year. 

Bunbury’s Jordan Falco took home the league player of the year prize and his teammate Patrick Farrant was named the winner of the future star award. 

The colts best-and-fairest medal was presented to Busselton’s Tait Spowart while Jayden Smith from Carey Park won his second award of the night as the reserves best-and-fairest. 

Larry Gleeson was recognised as the SWFL volunteer of the year for his considerable efforts to help get the women’s competition up and running while a triumphant year in Brunswick earned HBL back-to-back club championship awards.