What a memorable 2019 / 20 Touch Football season Viking veteran Jason Latham has enjoyed including his team winning the A Grade Grand Final last Sunday. Jase also picked up his fourth A Grade B&F Player of the Season award and was judged to be Player of the Match in the premiership decider.
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This season Jase polled 21 points exactly the same total he won with last season and also in 2013, whereas in 2009 he got the job done after racking up 14 points. To top off a good day Jason's sone Corbin was awarded his second junior B&F in a row last Sunday.
Congratulations to Vikings on winning their fourth A Grade title after a long time between drinks since they won their last one in 2010. Organisers would have been grateful they were able to hold both grand final day and the presentations taking into consideration what has gone on since with regard to Coronavirus.
Since Touch B&F awards commenced 25 seasons ago only one other player has won A Grade Player of the Season back-to-back. Cougar's legend Barry Hoy who did it twice in 1996 and 1997 before repeating the feat in 1999 and 2000. When Baz shared the 2002 prize with Chris Robson he took his total to 5 the most by any player. The only time there have been dual winners was in 2002 .
Several players in other grades have won consecutive Player of the Season awards including Speed Freaks' Josh Steel when he took out the C Grade trophy on a hat-trick of occasions between 2007 and 2009. 'Shorty' also won it in 2004.
When the now-defunct veteran's competition commenced in 2001 Apsley 35+ member Jack O'Hara went back to back the first two seasons Scallywags Paul Bullock won the C Grade trophy in 2001 and 2002, Gemma Hoy took home the F Grade prize in 2014 and 2015 playing for the Brackendale Road Runners while Ronnie Haines is the only other junior (besides Corbin) to do it in 2012 and 2013 .
A dozen players across five grades have taken out the Player of the Season and grand final Player of the Match in the same season. Leading the way with three is Barry Hoy in 1996, 97 and 2002 while the other three A Graders are Clint Lyon 2005. Jhordan Coulter 2016 and Jason Latham this season.
In B Grade Peter Green got the job done in 2001, Nga Marsters in 2003 while Brad Partridge is the most recent in 2016. Four veterans have achieved the feat: Jack O'Hara in 2001, Kevin Creighton 2004, Bradden Jackson 2005, and Ron Latham 2009. Brad Haines in 2011 is the only junior player while Ben France in 2016 is the only D Grade player to complete the double.
The annual Colleen Cross Memorial Golf event scheduled for this Sunday has been postponed due to the Coronavirus and according to golf club president Allan Green the trophy will be played for when the time is right.
Tuesday morning I had an interesting conversation with to 2AD sports guru Steve McMillian where he suggested it was going to be difficult in the future to gather information for his daily sports report. My reply was along the lines of "how do you think I'm going to go with my weekly sports column?" only time will tell I suppose.
