Manly-Warringah captain Connor Pettersson has claimed AFL Sydney’s most prestigious honour by claiming the 2015 Phelan Medal. Pettersson accepted the medal in front of more than 600 people at a gala event at Darling Harbour’s Doltone House last night.
Pettersson had a stand out year for the Giants and has gone one better than 2014 when he finished runner up behind Pennant Hill’s Alex Goodall.
Pettersson took over the captaincy this season for the Giants and thrived on the added responsibility by finishing on an impressive 24 votes, nine ahead of pre count favourite in East Coast Eagles Trent Stubbs with the Eagles Andrew Browning a further two votes behind. Pettersson becomes the second Manly Warringah player to claim the Phelan Medal in only the clubs third season in the top division following good mate Tyrone Armitage’s victory in 2013 (Manly’s inaugural season in Premier Division).
Following the disappointment of a runners up finish in the award last year, Pettersson started the 2015 season in scintillating fashion polling an astonishing 16 votes in the opening six rounds including being best on ground in five of those games. He led by 8 votes after six rounds and from then on was always in a strong position to claim the award. Further votes in Rounds 8 and 11 pushed his total to 20 votes before a rib injury kept him from playing from Rounds 13 to 16. On his return, Pettersson continued on where he has left off to poll in the final two games to finish on 24 votes and claim a deserved victory.
Trent Stubbs, the 2015 Stan Milton Trophy holder for the Premier Division competition’s leading goal kicker, finished on 15 votes while his team mate and ruckmen Browning, who missed three games at the end of the season, finished on 13 votes. Rounding out the top 5 were former Phelan Medallist Matt Carey from Pennant Hills in fourth position on 13 votes while Western Suburbs midfielder Taran Etto rounding out the top five after an outstanding year with 11 votes.
Last Modified on 21/09/2015 16:40
