Young star claims Shipley Medal at 17
By Brendan Rhodes
TEENAGE gun Josh Cass became the youngest player to win the coveted Shipley Medal when he topped the Nor-West Jets best and fairest count at Panthers North Richmond recently.
Cass, 17, was runner-up in his debut season last year, but stormed to the lead midway through this season and held off a late charge from ruckman-forward Paul Webster take the next step to the pinnacle of club football in just his second season.
The Hawkesbury junior, who will spend a fair portion of this summer training with AFL newcomers Greater Western Sydney after winning a position in the Giants Academy, which kicks off next month, polled 68 votes to finish eight clear of Webster, while veteran co-coach Don Ollington was third with 53 in his first season with the Jets since crossing from Macquarie University, where he is a club legend and premiership player.
Hard-working utility Josh Howe was fourth on 50, speedy wingman Owen Butcher polled 46 votes to finish fifth, while 2010 Shipley Medallist Paul Sherwood finished sixth on 37 votes.
Midfielder Brendan Cameron (33), young defender Tom Roberts (32), full back Warwick Smith (31), tough midfielder Grant Hoffman and half back Ben Cain (30) rounded out the top 10.
Cass, who polled just one vote in the first three rounds before hitting his straps with five, 10, 13, five and 10 in the next five weeks to take the lead at round nine, was delighted to win the medal named after one of the club’s most revered families, which counts the late, great Peter, his wife Jenny, and sons Damien and Dom all as life members.
“It mean a real lot to me, it’s a great honour,” he said.
“To win the best and fairest when I’m only 17 is a pretty special feeling.
“I think my football improved a lot this year just from the extra experience, all the fellas teaching me things and Bully (co-coach Garry Bull) helping me with my kicking, and I just hope I can continue to improve.
“I’ve had plenty of help, the one who has helped me most would be my Dad, Collo (Chris Collins) helped a lot and Johnno (junior coach Mark Johnston) taught me a lot as well.”
Cass said his favouritism status heading into the count had played on his mind a bit, but said it had been a driving force in the tough second half of the season.
“I did have some level of confidence, but I just hoped I would get up,” he said.
“(Being told I was a chance) gave me extra confidence to get myself up in those last game of the season.
“I didn’t know I was going to win for most of the count, but I knew I was getting close when I was 10 votes up with a couple of rounds to go.”
He is looking forward to training with GWS, along with fellow young talent Nick Edwards, who won the Saints’ under 16 best and fairest and made his senior debut in another stellar season.
“I haven’t heard much about it, but I know it is a training squad, they (the Giants) will get us all there and see what we’re like,” he said.
“It kicks off in the first week of November and Dad has been working me hard in the gym every morning to help me get ready.
“I just hope to get plenty of experience and more fitness out of it to lead into next season – training with them is a pretty good leg up and I hope I can do well enough so they’ll watch some of my games next year.
“It’d be great if I got an opportunity to play for their reserves team (the Giants will be calling on AFL Sydney players to top up their NEAFL team in the same way the Sydney Swans have been doing for several years).”
AWARD WINNERS
Shipley Medal: Josh Cass
Runner Up: Paul Webster
Most Consistent: Owen Butcher
Coaches Award: Seb Goldrick
Leading Goalkicker: Jake Berry
Rookie of the Year: Luke Allan
Players’ Player: Paul Webster
Life Members Clubman Award: Gail and Glen Moynihan
President’s Award: Jim Allan
100 matches: Stephen Chase
SHIPLEY MEDAL LEADERBOARD
68 – JOSH CASS – 5,5,5,5,5,4,4,4,4,4,3,3,3,3,3,2,2,1,1,1,1
60 – PAUL WEBSTER – 5,5,5,5,5,4,4,4,4,3,2,2,2,2,2,2,1,1,1,1
53 – DON OLLINGTON – 5,5,5,5,5,4,4,4,3,3,3,3,2,1,1
50 – JOSH HOWE – 5,5,5,4,4,4,3,3,2,2,2,2,2,2,1,1,1,1,1
46 – OWEN BUTCHER – 5,5,5,4,4,4,4,4,3,3,3,1,1
37 – PAUL SHERWOOD – 5,5,4,4,3,3,3,2,2,2,2,1,1
33 – BRENDAN CAMERON – 5,5,5,5,3,2,2,2,2,1,1
32 – TOM ROBERTS – 5,5,5,4,3,3,3,2,2
31 – WARWICK SMITH – 5,5,5,5,5,3,1,1,1
30 – GRANT HOFFMAN – 5,4,4,4,3,3,2,2,2,1
30 – BEN CAIN – 5,4,4,3,3,3,2,2,1,1,1,1
28 – STUART TIBBEN – 5,4,4,4,4,3,2,1,1
27 – JOHNATHON DOWL – 5,4,4,4,3,3,2,2
24 – RYAN JOHNSTON – 5,5,4,3,3,2,1,1
23 – JAKE BERRY – 5,4,4,3,3,2,2
22 – MATTHEW LLOYD – 5,5,5,3,2,1,1
20 – SAM MAKINS – 4,4,4,3,3,2
19 – GERARD SMITS – 4,4,3,3,2,2,1
18 – AARON BAYNE – 5,4,2,2,2,1,1,1
16 – CHRIS KYLE – 5,5,3,2,1
16 – JAROD THOMSON – 5,3,2,2,2,1,1
14 – CASEY WENSELOWSKI – 4,3,3,2,1,1
12 – CHRIS AHEARN – 4,4,3,1
12 – JEBAL WILLIAMS – 4,3,2,1,1,1
11 – ANDREW TRAVERS – 5,4,2
9 – DANIEL GUTHRIDGE – 5,4
8 – ADAM FOX – 3,3,1,1
6 – AARON LAWES – 3,3
4 – MARTY INGHAM – 4
4 – LUKE ALLAN – 3,1
2 – JAMES MOYNIHAN – 2
ROUND BY ROUND VOTE BREAKDOWN
Round 1 – Bensons Lane – NWJ 10.2.62 v Sydney University 12.14.86
5 C Kyle, 4 G Hoffman, 3 A Fox, 2 P Webster, 1 M Lloyd
5 C Kyle, 4 J Dowl, 3 M Lloyd, 2 D Ollington, 1 A Fox
5 M Lloyd, 4 D Ollington, 3 C Kyle, 2 J Howe, 1 A Fox
Round 2 – Bensons Lane – NWJ 13.10.88 def Holroyd-Parramatta 7.7.49
5 O Butcher, 4 G Hoffman, 3 C Wenselowski, 2 P Webster, 1 J Howe
5 B Cain, 4 J Dowl, 3 D Ollington, 2 G Hoffman, 1 C Wenselowski
5 O Butcher, 4 B Cain, 3 G Hoffman, 2 C Kyle, 1 C Wenselowski
Round 3 – Mahoney Park – NWJ 5.6.36 v Balmain 14.16.100
5 P Webster, 4 D Ollington, 3 S Makins, 2 G Smits, 1 S Tibben
5 P Webster, 4 O Butcher, 3 D Ollington, 2 S Makins, 1 Josh Cass
5 P Webster, 4 D Ollington, 3 S Makins, 2 B Cain, 1 A Bayne
Round 5 – Henson Park – NWJ 11.8.74 v St George 14.14.98
5 M Lloyd, 4 A Bayne, 3 B Cameron, 2 J Williams, 1 Josh Cass
5 J Dowl, 4 C Wenselowski, 3 D Ollington, 2 J Moynihan, 1 J Williams
5 T Roberts, 4 Josh Cass, 3 C Ahearn, 2 J Dowl, 1 M Lloyd
Round 6 – Bensons Lane – NWJ 9.9.63 v Manly-Warringah 2.5.17
5 Josh Cass, 4 P Webster, 3 B Cain, 2 C Wenselowski, 1 J Howe
5 B Cameron, 4 J Dowl, 3 C Wenselowski, 2 J Howe, 1 P Webster
5 Josh Cass, 4 J Howe, 3 J Dowl, 2 B Cain, 1 B Cameron
Round 7 – Rosedale Oval – NWJ 12.7.79 v Moorebank 10.5.65
5 J Howe, 4 Josh Cass, 3 D Ollington, 2 J Berry, 1 P Webster
5 J Howe, 4 Josh Cass, 3 J Berry, 2 S Tibben, 1 J Thomson
5 Josh Cass, 4 J Berry, 3 J Howe, 2 J Dowl, 1 D Ollington
Round 8 – St Pauls Oval – NWJ 14.10.94 v Sydney University 7.9.51
5 W Smith, 4 S Makins, 3 P Sherwood, 2 Josh Cass, 1 B Cameron
5 W Smith, 4 S Makins, 3 J Berry, 2 J Howe, 1 P Sherwood
5 W Smith, 4 S Makins, 3 Josh Cass, 2 J Berry, 1 S Tibben
Round 9 – Dukes Oval – NWJ 1.6.12 v Penrith 15.19.109
5 Josh Cass, 4 D Guthridge, 3 P Webster, 2 P Sherwood, 1 D Ollington
5 Josh Cass, 4 O Butcher, 3 J Dowl, 2 J Thomson, 1 J Howe
5 D Guthridge, 4 J Howe, 3 B Cain, 2 A Bayne, 1 W Smith
Round 4 (w) – Bensons Lane – NWJ 11.17.83 v Camden 3.3.21
5 J Berry, 4 A Travers, 3 Josh Cass, 2 P Sherwood, 1 B Cain
5 P Sherwood, 4 J Berry, 3 S Tibben, 2 M Lloyd, 1 Josh Cass
5 A Travers, 4 P Sherwood, 3 B Cain, 2 B Cameron, 1 G Hoffman
Round 10 – Blacktown ISP 2 – NWJ 12.8.80 v Balmain 12.9.81
5 D Ollington, 4 P Webster, 3 J Howe, 2 B Cameron, 1 C Ahearn
5 P Sherwood, 4 C Ahearn, 3 A Fox, 2 B Cameron, 1 G Smits
5 B Cameron, 4 C Ahearn, 3 P Sherwood, 2 T Roberts, 1 P Webster
Round 11 – Bensons Lane – NWJ 16.10.106 v St George 6.4.40
5 D Ollington, 4 J Howe, 3 A Lawes, 2 G Smits, 1 C Kyle
5 J Howe, 4 S Tibben, 3 G Smits, 2 B Cameron, 1 O Butcher
5 B Cameron, 4 G Smits, 3 A Lawes, 2 J Howe, 1 O Butcher
Round 12 – Fairfax Reserve – NWJ 13.10.88 v Camden 6.7.43
5 P Webster, 4 S Tibben, 3 J Thomson, 2 T Roberts, 1 W Smith
5 S Tibben, 4 Josh Cass, 3 T Roberts, 2 P Webster, 1 J Williams
5 T Roberts, 4 S Tibben, 3 J Williams, 2 Josh Cass, 1 P Webster
Round 13 – Mona Park – NWJ 7.3 45 v Auburn 13.11 89
5 D Ollington, 4 S Tibben, 3 L Allan, 2 P Sherwood, 1 A Bayne
5 D Ollington, 4 P Webster, 3 O Butcher, 2 J Thomson, 1 B Cain
5 D Ollington, 4 P Sherwood, 3 Josh Cass, 2 J Howe, 1 W Smith
Round 14 – Bensons Lane – NWJ 5.9 39 v Penrith 13.6 84
5 B Cameron, 4 G Smits, 3 W Smith, 2 P Webster, 1 B Cain
5 W Smith, 4 M Ingham, 3 Josh Cass, 2 J Thomson, 1 J Williams
5 W Smith, 4 Josh Cass, 3 G Smits, 2 P Webster, 1 J Thomson
Round 15 – Bensons Lane – Moorebank – Match Abandoned
Round 16 – Gipps Road Oval - NWJ 3.10 28 v Holroyd-Parramatta 18.11 119
5 G Hoffman, 4 R Johnston, 3 O Butcher, 2 A Bayne, 1 P Sherwood
5 J Thomson, 4 G Hoffman, 3 T Roberts, 2 R Johnston, 1 Josh Cass
5 R Johnston, 4 P Webster, 3 O Butcher, 2 P Sherwood, 1 J Howe
Round 17 – Bensons Lane – NWJ 6.4 40 v Auburn 11.9 75
5 M Lloyd, 4 B Cain, 3 P Sherwood, 2 A Travers, 1 R Johnston
5 P Webster, 4 O Butcher, 3 R Johnston, 2 J Howe, 1 B Cain
5 R Johnston, 4 O Butcher, 3 Josh Cass, 2 P Webster, 1 J Howe
Round 18 – Weldon Oval – NWJ 3.12 30 v Manly-Warringah 16.6 102
5 O Butcher, 4 T Roberts, 3 R Johnston, 2 G Hoffman, 1 A Bayne
5 A Bayne, 4 O Butcher, 3 T Roberts, 2 G Hoffman, 1 R Johnston
5 T Roberts, 4 J Williams, 3 G Hoffman, 2 A Bayne, 1 L Allan
Last Modified on 24/02/2012 15:06
