By: Daniel Cencic
TWO Eastern Football League greats were officially elevated to legend status in front of over 400 people at the annual Chandler Medal Night on Wednesday.
Doncaster’s Chris Annakis was awarded the Sir Gilbert Chandler Medal for the second-consecutive season, winning on 33 votes – 13 ahead of Norwood’s Rhett Jordan.
Eastern Football League legend status is achieved by winning three senior competition best and fairest awards.
The top honour elevates 30-year-old Annakis to become just the 14th man in League history to achieve the feat, after winning the Chandler Medal in 2017 and the Kenneth Wright Medal in Division 2 in 2015.
Annakis enjoyed a stellar season as the pacey, smooth-moving Sharks captain again proved a vital cog in a campaign which saw his side win 14 matches to finish fourth at the end of the home and away season, reaching the Division 1 semi-finals.
He also represented the EFL in the WorkSafe AFL Victoria Community Championships this season, as the League claimed the number-one state ranking in the victory over the Geelong league at Etihad Stadium in May. A memorable Chandler Medal Night for Annakis was capped off by being named captain of the SEN Division 1 Team of the Year.
Bayswater’s Joel Galvin was crowned the Kenneth Wright medallist as the best and fairest in Division 2, winning on 24 votes – two ahead of Doncaster East’s Michael Steven.
The honour means Galvin is also now recognised as an official League legend, having also won the Division 2 best and fairest in 2012 and 2016.
The Bayswater captain joins father and current club president Gary Galvin as an official legend, who completed a three-peat as the competition’s best and fairest in 1980-81 (Division 1 and Division 2) and 1982 (Division 1).
Ringwood captain Trent Farmer took out his second-consecutive Division 3 Paul Edie Medal finishing five votes ahead of Heathmont’s Brent English in a season which saw the Redbacks’ forward boot 62 majors. For the second year running, Farmer was also named captain of the SEN Division 3 Team of the Year. Meanwhile Coldstream’s Darcy Carrigan won the Perc James Medal as the best and fairest in Division 4, two votes ahead of Glen Waverley Hawks’ Beau Parthenides.
Scoresby’s Bianca Pilkington won the Premier Division Netball EFL best and fairest award, off the back of playing an integral role in her side’s Premier Reserve premiership victory.
Meanwhile, Blackburn rising star Makenzie Doreian received the Leader Young Gun award for Division 1 and 2, as Heathmont’s Fin Brown took the honours for Division 3 and 4.
More to come.
