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.
X: @krockfootball
CLUB BY CLUB LEADERBOARDS
ANGLESEA
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Harrison Ling | 11 |
| Jordan Keras | 9 |
| Ayden Gras | 7 |
| Ryan Bell | 7 |
| Lachlan Smith | 4 |
| Noah McGregor Dawson | 4 |
| Dale Kerr | 3 |
| Max Virgona | 2 |
| Will Batson | 2 |
BARWON HEADS
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Damian McMahon | 25 |
| Luke Davis | 15 |
| Angus Ford | 2 |
| Darby Graham | 2 |
| Finn Cornell | 2 |
| James Syddall | 2 |
| Kyle Polley | 2 |
| Jack Henderson | 1 |
| Jake Whybrow | 1 |
| Luca Vella | 1 |
| Mitch Jensen | 1 |
DRYSDALE
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| James Breust | 9 |
| Luke Preece | 7 |
| Ben Fennell | 6 |
| Mitchell Mcguire | 6 |
| Bailey Sykes | 5 |
| Jack Jenkins | 5 |
| Lachlan Nelis | 3 |
| Jayden Hunt | 2 |
| Lauchlan Dalgleish | 2 |
| Jake Hargreaves | 1 |
| Oliver Castro | 1 |
GEELONG AMATEUR
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Sam Lloyd | 23 |
| Tom Gribble | 12 |
| Riley Ferguson | 10 |
| Andrew Browne | 7 |
| Mitchell Day | 7 |
| Jesse Tardio | 6 |
| Archer Hanegraaf | 5 |
| Daniel Weigl | 4 |
| Harry Kershaw | 4 |
| Fidel Seignior | 2 |
| Charley Green | 1 |
| Harrison Orr | 1 |
| Hugh Goddard | 1 |
| Lachlan Reilly | 1 |
MODEWARRE
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Oscar Cooke | 19 |
| Connor Joseph | 5 |
| Matty Mckim | 5 |
| Morgan Fenton | 5 |
| Oliver Butler | 5 |
| Brady Campi | 2 |
| Dylan Sharp | 2 |
| Roarke Smith | 2 |
| Callan Farrell | 1 |
| Patrick Fitzgerald | 1 |
| Zack May | 1 |
NEWCOMB
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Logan Wagener | 31 |
| Luke Justin | 9 |
| Thomas Webster | 8 |
| Ben Clark | 5 |
| Jack Duke | 3 |
| Pat McGinley | 3 |
| Finn Anscombe | 2 |
| Ryan Jackman | 2 |
| Caleb Morrissy | 1 |
OCEAN GROVE
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Luke Jarrad | 6 |
| Joshua Lange | 4 |
| Anton Woods | 1 |
| Lorne Waldron | 1 |
| Ryan Bongart | 1 |
PORTARLINGTON
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Scott Greenhough | 16 |
| Samuel Scott | 12 |
| Brock Williamson | 7 |
| Max Ruiter | 3 |
| Nick Lane | 3 |
| Teia Miles | 3 |
| Jacob Ball | 2 |
| Kelly Pickard | 2 |
| Mitchell Turnbull | 2 |
| Nathan McHugh | 2 |
| Braydon Poole | 1 |
| Eamon Dowd | 1 |
| Mitchell Howard | 1 |
QUEENSCLIFF
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Lachie Kidd | 18 |
| Joseph Cincotta | 13 |
| Nicholas Rippon | 8 |
| Caleb Whitley | 7 |
| Jaydo Wright | 7 |
| Sol Bowtell | 6 |
| Billy Jones | 5 |
| Izaac Grant | 5 |
| Jordan Monahan | 5 |
| Che Durran | 4 |
| Sam Kalbfell | 3 |
| Jack Leonard | 2 |
| Max Annandale | 2 |
SURF COAST SUNS
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Luke Cartelli | 6 |
| Mitchell Hovey | 4 |
| Ross Young | 4 |
| Edward Weeks | 3 |
| Harry Gravener | 2 |
TORQUAY
| Player | Votes |
|---|---|
| Tynan Smith | 24 |
| Matthew Boag | 13 |
| Hugh Trigg | 9 |
| Sheldon Ham | 7 |
| Max Hurley | 5 |
| Ben McNamara | 4 |
| Banjo Dyer | 3 |
| Dylan Pascoe | 3 |
| James Darke | 3 |
| Billy Henderson | 2 |
| Nathan Mifsud | 2 |
| Lucas Cook | 1 |
