Sandover Medal Preview

SOUTH Fremantle might only have an outside chance of providing the Sandover Medal winner of 2013 but a host of Bulldogs players had eye-catching seasons and could end up polling well.

The Sandover Medal count will be streamed live on thewest.com.au from 9pm and is available by clicking here: http://sandover-live.thewest.com.au/

It will also be broadcast live on 990am Information Radio from 7pm.

The Bulldogs might have only won six matches during the 2013 season, but actually performed strongly in most of the 20 games of the campaign and were a chance to win more than half of the matches they ended up losing.

That means that South Fremantle will likely end up polling a reasonable number of votes throughout the night and a Bulldogs player might end up finishing at the pointy end of the leaderboard.

While it is widely expected that the Sandover Medallist for 2013 will come from midfielders Jake Murphy (Claremont), Rory O'Brien (East Fremantle) and Brendan Lee (East Perth), or ruckmen Paul Johnson (East Perth) and Mark Seaby (Claremont), there is plenty of interest from a South Fremantle perspective.

It wouldn’t surprise to see South Fremantle's leading vote getter just happen to be the most experienced player in the league either with 298-game veteran Kris Miller having another outstanding despite being ineligible to win due to a one-game suspension.

The 32-year-old missed Round 5 due to that suspension in what was the first game he has missed since joining South Fremantle in 2007, but he had a terrific season.

It started in his customary role as a midfielder in the first half of the year where he again showed his ability to rack up plenty of the ball and win endless clearances from stoppages.

However, late in the year he then switched to a half-forward role and was fantastic. He might not have won as much of the ball, but his influence was enormous including kicking a career-best five goals in the Round 23 win over grand finalists East Perth.

Captain Ryan Cook also had an outstanding season leading the Bulldogs whether on the wing or on the ball.

Cook, in his third season with South Fremantle, led from the front averaging 25.4 possessions a game including 34 in Round 22, 31 in Rounds 10 and 11, and 30 in Rounds 6, 18 and 20.

Mitch Banner had a big impact in his first season with South Fremantle coming from Port Adelaide in the AFL and ended up as the Bulldogs' leading ball winner and goalkicker.

He averaged 26.7 disposals a game including 35 in Round 14, 34 in Round 7, 32 in both Round 6 and 22, 31 in Round 19 and 30 in Rounds 8 and 10.

Banner also kicked five goals in Round 18 while adding three in Rounds 1, 3 and 16, and two in Rounds 7, 8, 11, 12, 14, 15 and 24.

Experienced AFL ruckmen Seaby and Johnson might have received plenty of recognition of the best big men in the WAFL this season, but South Fremantle big man Sean Tighe certainly deserves to be considered right up there.

He gathered plenty of the bal averaging over 19 possessions a game including a high of 31 in Round 9 while finished the season averaging 28 hit outs including a high of 42 in Round 4. It wouldn’t surprise at all to see him rack up plenty of votes.

Haiden Schloithe also was terrific for South Fremantle this season in his 16 matches where as an on-baller, wingman or playing off half-back. The Fremantle rookie averaged 20.8 touches and picked up highs of 32 in Round 10, 28 in Rounds 18 and 20, and 25 in Round 23 before injuring his ankle.

Then there are a couple of South Fremantle's exciting youngsters who might well pick up some votes for their eye-catching performances.

Jacob Martinez showed good signs in the league side in the second half of 2012 and carried that on all for all of this season proving himself one of the best tackles and defensive midfielders in the competition.

However, he also showed he could win his own ball picking up 20 more possessions in Rounds 11, 12, 14, 20 and 25.

Then there was Tim Kelly who was still eligible to play colts, but came into the league side in Round 10 and stayed there for the rest of the season averaging over 19 possessions a game.

Ashton Hams played just nine games, but was outstanding in each of them so could poll well while it will be interesting that the umpires make of the strong years of defenders Nick Borovac, Dylan Ross and Adam McIntosh.

RYAN COOK

19 games, 483 possessions, 10 goals, 115 marks

Certain votes: 1 (Round 11)

Possible votes: 10 (Rounds 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 15, 18, 20, 22, 23)

Games missed: 1

MITCH BANNER

20 games, 533 possessions, 33 goals, 123 marks

Certain votes: 1 (Round 18)

Possible votes: 5 (Rounds 7, 8, 14, 15, 16)

Games missed: 0

HAIDEN SCHLOITHE

16 games, 333 possessions, 9 goals, 49 marks, 58 tackles

Certain votes: 1 (Round 20)

Possible votes: 1 (Rounds 4)

Games missed: 4

SEAN TIGHE

19 games, 363 possessions, 4 goals, 115 marks, 532 hit outs

Certain votes: 3 (Round 9, 15, 24)

Possible votes: 9 (Rounds 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12, 14, 20, 23)

Games missed: 1

JACOB MARTINEZ

18 games, 321 possessions, 3 goals, 46 marks, 94 tackles

Certain votes: 0 

Possible votes: 6 (Rounds 9, 11, 12, 14, 20, 22)

Games missed: 2

TIM KELLY

12 games, 228 possessions, 5 goals, 41 marks, 32 tackles

Certain votes: 0

Possible votes: 7 (Rounds 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 23)

Games missed: 8

By Chris Pike