By Nick Creely
He’s one of the VFL’s most respected footballers, and one of the region’s biggest stars.
And now Beaconsfield product Jimmy Munro is a back-to-back VFL Best and Fairest winner for the Casey Demons after yet another superb season in the clinches.
The on-baller snared the Demons’ top men’s award at the club’s virtual VFL and VFLW Awards Night last Thursday night, with the tackling machine claiming the Gardner Clark Best and Fairest after also winning the award in 2019.
It was another ultra-impressive campaign for the midfielder, who averaged 21.4 disposals, 4.3 clearances and a whopping 9.3 tackles a match from nine matches. He also hit the scoreboard, kicking six goals.
AFL-listed forward Toby Bedford finished runners-up in the best and fairest, with the youngster averaging 15.3 disposals, 5.9 tackles and 0.9 goals a match in a promising season.
Demons veteran Neville Jetta took out the Trademark and Values Award after a consistent season guiding the backline in 2021, with small defender averaging a tick under 20 touches a game.
Emerging forward George Grey snared the Steve Harrison Rising Star Award for his promising debut season in attack for the Demons, where he averaged a goal a match.
After an exceptional debut season, Eliza West took out the Demons’s VFLW Best and Fairest, in what was a remarkably consistent and reliable season.
West averaged 22.3 disposals a match from 13 games, which included five tackles a match, and also managed to kick seven goals.
Demons star Casey Sherriff finished as runner up in the best and fairest, with the creative playmaker picking up 16 touches per match, three marks and 4.1 tackles. She also kicked multiple goals on two occasions to showcase her wares in front of goal.
Defender Emma Horne was also rewarded for her promising season, with the youngster clinching the VFLW Rising Star Award, in a season in which she averaged 8.5 disposals and three tackles from 15 matches.
Meg MacDonald won the Trademark and Values Award for her reliable season, which included almost six tackles per match, Shree Fairchild clinched the VFLW Coaches Award and Monica Harasimiuk took out the Most Improved Award.
