Great Northern Football League clubs to honour their team champions at upcoming awards nights

All that remains of the 2023 Great Northern Football League season are the club award nights, and five happen on Saturday night. At Brigades, Kim Schofield is tipped to retain the Phil Cooper Medal and add to the Clune Medal he shared with Northampton’s Flynn Dillon last week. Other candidates for the top club honour include his brother Jayden, who won in 2021, Henry Perham who should poll well early, Klay Sipila and Jack Deschamp. Among the Brigades premiership-winning women, Jessica Giudice-Nairn will feature as will MEEDAC Medal co-winner Gemma Dix with Breeanna Hamlett a chance. Chapman Valley’s event is at the Yacht Club and the LP Cooper Medal should feature Ringo McKenna, who won it last year, and Tristan Jacques. Brett Robinson should do well early. Favourite for best women’s player for the Royals, who made the grand final, is Taylah Broadhurst with Sam Williamson in the mix. This season’s league premiers Northampton will cap off their great year on Saturday and the battle for the Rams’ best is likely to be between Dillon and Braden Jupp. Dillon famously missed a huge chunk of the season but still won the Clune, can he repeat that for a second LP Carson Medal? Among Norths women, Mikenna Schultz is up there with Grace Yokwe and perhaps Maddi Miller. Rovers’ wind-up is also on Saturday and Penniment/Bursill Medal contenders are Josh Simpson and 2020 winner Tom Denton. Chris Scott and Jamie Geier should also do well. Best women’s player for the Demons could be Abby Green and others to watch are Davina Whitney, Lisa Husking and Cass Green. Towns close out their season on Saturday and there are three rivals for the VT Clune Medal – Callum Marquis, who should finish strongly, four-time winner Rohan Fariss and Matt Russell. Two-time MEEDAC Medal winner Olivia Bidwell is clear favourite for best women’s player with Michaela Clarke and Ava Gould to also poll votes. Railways’ host their presentation on September 16 and the race for the Stan Cross Medal is open with Matt Kimberley a good bet for his consistency in the second half of the year. Henry Anderson, 2016 recipient Drew Tunbridge and 2022 winner Jesse Adamini are also contenders. The women’s award is likely to go to Jasmine Johansen with Maddison Kelly and Geneva Johansen close. Mullewa, at the time of writing, has not named a date for their event. Its highlight, the Gus Mourish Medal, is likely to be decided between veteran and two-time winner Calvin Wall and Leon Galby. Kristian Papertalk is a chance for a sixth medal and Jayden Wall should poll well. Dainira Papertalk is probable winner of the women’s award with perhaps Shaniqua Papertalk a challenger.