After claiming their first AFL Central West premierships, two grand final heroes have capped off the best weeks of their Australian rules football careers with individual nods in the league's best and fairest awards.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Both Bathurst Bushrangers Rebels' Bill Watterson and Bathurst Giants' Matilda Flood were named the league's best on Friday night in Orange, following the pair's best on ground performances in Saturday's men's and women's grand final wins respectively.
The pair both finished on 14 votes apiece to top their respective counts.
Watterson won the award ahead of his Rebels teammate Harry Bowden, who finished with 12 votes, ahead of Giants' Paul Jenkins, Demons' Bevan Charlton-White and Outlaws duo Ben Horn and Peter Grundy, with the quartet finishing with a tally of 10 each.
Flood had a three-point buffer over Tigers' vice-captain Erin Naden, who finished with 11, and Bushrangers Beth Durham, who finished with 10.
Flood's teammate Danita Lane finished in fourth with nine votes alongside Alora Dickson, but Lane cleaned up in the women's goalkicking tally for 2019 with 23 majors across the season.
It marked a double scoop for the Giants in the goalkicking awards as Jenkins claimed the men's gong with 44 goals for the season.
Cowra mentor Ben Rodin edged out premiership-winning coach Liz Kennedy as senior coach of the year for his work with the Blues in their first season back in the AFL Central West competition.
Giants under 14s coach Michael Sloan won junior coach of the year, while Merinda Roll was junior volunteer of the year for her work with the Dubbo Demons.
Harvey Shephard dominated the under 12s best and fairest count, winning with 19 votes ahead of Cowra's Aaron Hall (12 votes) and Giants' Archer Ryan (11).
Shepherd's clubmate Will Chamberlain claimed the respective under 14s gong with 14 votes ahead of Cowra's Jake Roberts (12) and Tigers' Matt Brown (10).
Giants' Teagan Germech more than doubled the next best to win the youth girls' best and fairest, with her 13 votes far ahead of teammate Rhiani Rozga (six) and Tigers duo Anna Macpherson and Elizabeth Gibson (four).
Zac Yandle claimed the under 17s best and fairest with the Giants youngster nabbing six votes ahead of the Tigers' Angus Easey (four) and Max Bylsma (three).
Forbes' Alex Milsom was awarded Auskick volunteer of the year, while Jayden Waddell and Geoff Day were named junior and senior umpires of the year respectively.