The pre-count hype surrounding Logan Wagener has been justified after the gun Newcomb midfielder claimed the Les Ash Medal as Bellarine League best-and-fairest.
Wagener polled 31 votes to win by seven from Torquay’s Tynan Smith on 24, with century goalkicker, Geelong Amateur co-coach Sam Lloyd, finishing third with 23 votes.
Outgoing Barwon Heads co-coach Damian McMahon polled 25 votes but was ineligible to collect the runner-up trophy after accepting a reprimand for an incident in the Round 19 loss to the Power.
When voting went live after Round 11, Wagener had 18 votes, including a run of three consecutive best-on-ground performances from rounds 7-9.
However, he had company, with McMahon also on 18, which included five three-vote performances, as the Seagulls made a hot start to the season.
Modewarre’s Oscar Cooke, who would eventually finish fourth, and 2023 winner, Barwon Heads ruck Luke Davis, loomed as challengers on 13 votes, with Lloyd a vote back on 12, and Smith and Lachie Kidd on 10.
However, Wagener made his move following the Power’s bye in Round 12.
He polled consecutive two votes in losses to Anglesea and Geelong Amateur, before making the medal his with back-to-back best-on-ground efforts in Round 16 and 17, against Modewarre and Drysdale, respectively.
Wagener is the fourth player from Newcomb to win Bellarine’s highest individual honour, joining Ricky O’Toole (2007), Paul Hudson (1993, 1996-97), and John Fagan (1981).
He previously played with Newcomb in 2021 before returning to Leopold, where he is a three-time premiership player.
Wagener averaged a competition-best 37.4 disposals per game, including 15.9 contested, helping the Power end a 19-year finals drought.
He tallied 40 disposals or more on ten occasions, racked up 50 in the triple-figure mauling of Barwon Heads in Round 19, and averaged 11 clearances and nine score involvements.
ANGLESEA
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Sebastian Kent | 8 |
| Kalani Brown | 7 |
| James Moverley | 6 |
| Maxwell Simpson | 6 |
| Aidan Connell | 5 |
| Alex Braaksma | 5 |
| Matthew Connell | 5 |
| Myles Brinkworth | 5 |
| Baxter Morris | 3 |
| Courtney Wedderburn | 3 |
| Sean Hermann | 3 |
| Phoenix Findlay | 3 |
| Brodie Cambridge | 2 |
| Charlie Lawless | 2 |
| Christopher Kennedy | 2 |
| Jai Anderson | 2 |
| Kyle Bienefelt | 1 |
| Patrick Gray | 1 |
| Ryan Bell | 1 |
BARWON HEADS
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Hugh Mckay | 13 |
| Matt Ogle | 9 |
| Luca Vella | 8 |
| Jack Stevens | 7 |
| Harvey Lardner | 5 |
| Charley Donohue | 3 |
| Matthew Beckwith | 3 |
| Oliver Poon | 3 |
| Samuel Hill | 3 |
| Xavier Whitcher | 3 |
| Bailey Graham | 2 |
| Bryce Dunell | 1 |
| Conor Duffy | 1 |
| Josef Fanelli | 1 |
| Rohan Nicol | 1 |
DRYSDALE
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Tyler Collings | 10 |
| Jackson Smith | 6 |
| Joshua Hopgood | 6 |
| Jarrod Brack | 3 |
| Harry Smith | 2 |
| Koby Millar Burton | 2 |
| Luke Smith | 2 |
| Archer Clark | 1 |
| Christopher Jreige | 1 |
| Luke Henderson | 1 |
| Mitchell Lindsey | 1 |
| Taylor Bonner | 1 |
GEELONG AMATEUR
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Cody Diana | 13 |
| Matthew Ellison | 12 |
| Jack Lang | 5 |
| Jacob Welsh | 3 |
| Lachlan Devine | 3 |
| Michael Banister | 3 |
| Miller Kennedy | 3 |
| Cooper Jerinic | 2 |
| Hamish Shepheard | 2 |
| Jackson Ellis | 2 |
| Kane Smith | 2 |
| Nicholas Clydesdale | 2 |
| Brandon Ferry | 1 |
| Jacob Beekmans | 1 |
| Jacob Edwards | 1 |
| Patrick Ryan | 1 |
MODEWARRE
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Avery Knight | 15 |
| Troy Anderson | 13 |
| Seb Hutley | 10 |
| Jesse Johnstone | 8 |
| Daniel Waldron | 3 |
| Dylan Sharp | 3 |
| Lachlan Bath | 3 |
| Scott Morter | 3 |
| Charlie Larsen | 2 |
| Jack Kelly | 2 |
| Nat Matthews | 2 |
| William Koopman | 2 |
| Bailey Scott | 1 |
| Damon Hemphill | 1 |
| Danny Archer | 1 |
| Jack Graham | 1 |
| Tom Worpel | 1 |
NEWCOMB
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Peter Gordyn | 10 |
| Martin Carey | 5 |
| Tommy Williams | 4 |
| Darcy Smith | 3 |
| Harry Fraser | 3 |
| Jesse Pardo | 3 |
| Bailey Thynne | 2 |
| Caleb Law | 2 |
| Vincent Whelan | 2 |
| Jaycob Dingwall | 1 |
| Jim Hall | 1 |
| Matthew Patti | 1 |
| Tikei Hiku | 1 |
| Tom Connolly | 1 |
OCEAN GROVE
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Jai Belcher | 8 |
| Lenny Allen | 6 |
| Jye Walker | 4 |
| Rowan Hore | 4 |
| Will Cunningham | 4 |
| Baden Pohlner | 3 |
| Campbell Snookes | 3 |
| Samuel Eales | 3 |
| Benn Pavey | 2 |
| Caleb Belcher | 2 |
| Fraser Stow | 2 |
| Jack Connolly | 2 |
| Ryan Cook | 2 |
| Charlie Confoy | 1 |
| Lachlan Joyce | 1 |
PORTARLINGTON
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Dean Bartrop | 7 |
| Blaide Dowie | 5 |
| Lachlan Hart | 4 |
| Eamon Dowd | 3 |
| Samuel McDonald | 3 |
| Ethan Hughes | 2 |
| Jack Rose | 2 |
| Jesse Hunter | 2 |
| Liam Vagg | 2 |
| Thomas Callan | 2 |
| Timothy Lewis | 2 |
| Tyler Ryan | 2 |
| Mitchell Howard | 1 |
| Patrick Eastman | 1 |
QUEENSCLIFF
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Jake Hedley | 12 |
| Archie Gladman | 8 |
| Campbell Lloyd | 8 |
| Max Breisch | 8 |
| Bailey Prato | 6 |
| Harry Travers | 5 |
| Matt Golightly | 5 |
| Max Annandale | 5 |
| Oscar Courtney | 4 |
| Zac Henderson | 4 |
| Billy Jones | 3 |
| Jayden Durran | 3 |
| Luke Adam | 3 |
| Ned Coffey | 3 |
| Thomas Bakker | 3 |
| Max Scott | 2 |
| Riley Martin | 2 |
| Cash Bompas | 1 |
| Oliver Skurrie | 1 |
| Patrick Tucci | 1 |
SURF COAST SUNS
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Taj Wilkins | 3 |
| Hugh Rudolph | 1 |
| Ignacio López Basavilbaso | 1 |
| Jobe Sharman | 1 |
| Will Martin | 1 |
TORQUAY
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Chad Grossman | 14 |
| Harry Ford | 8 |
| Joe Darby | 7 |
| Harrison Goode | 6 |
| Harrison Mackay | 6 |
| Max Hurley | 6 |
| Brendan Carlyon | 5 |
| Lewis Diamond | 5 |
| Zac Spargo | 5 |
| Mackenzie Burns | 4 |
| Jack Thompson | 2 |
| Jonti Wylie | 2 |
| Judd Schubert | 2 |
| Texas Dixon | 2 |
| Thomas Hooper | 2 |
| Blake Schwartz | 1 |
| Cohen Emmerson | 1 |
| Tom Butler | 1 |
| Vivian Mccarthy | 1 |
