Sparks breaks Hayward Medal record

Carey Park’s Harley Sparks was awarded the South West Football League’s highest honour on Friday night, Taking out the Hayward Medal with a record breaking vote count.

Sparks scored a massive 42 votes, the most ever recorded in the 78 year history of the medal. Augusta Margaret River’s Peter Ivanoff has held the record since 1981, but Sparks strolled past that mark, scoring votes in 17 of his 20 matches.

It’s also the biggest winning margin in a vote count, with Sparks winning by 16 votes over Andrew Haydon of the Harvey Bulls.

The 21 year old was full of praise for his team and coach, who got him to Carey Park this season.

“A big thank you to Frank and Carey Park Football Club, and to Lorraine and John Emmott – the club is like a big family,” he said.

Busselton was awarded Dale Alcock Homes South West Champion Club. The team piled up the most best and fairest votes (94), with Mitch Tenardi earning 24 for the season – enough to place him a close fourth in the overall medal race.

Donnybrook’s Jess Verbrugge took out the Nola Marino Medal for Women’s Fairest and Best, becoming the first to win it twice, just edging out Busselton’s Katie Jayne Grieve by a single vote.

The Magpies had good representation in both medal counts, with four women making the top 20 in votes, and three for the League.

Dunsborough’s Max Patterson was 13th in the League count with 13 votes, while Olivia Caldow and Shelby Foster were close for 5th and 6th in the Nola Marino count.