The 2025 Omeo District Football Netball League (ODFNL) best and fairest counts were held after the elimination final at the Omeo Recreation Reserve last Saturday, with the major awards going the way of Swan Reach’s Alex Saunders and Danielle Ryan.
Saunders had an outstanding season in his return to ODFNL football after a season at Cowwarr in the North Gippsland Football Netball League, polling an impressive 30 votes out of a possible 39.
Saunders finished runner up [(runner-up)] to Bruthen playmaker, Harley Kenner in the 2023 count, and looms as one of the key players in the 2025 ODFNL finals series.
Swifts Creek captain, Beau Hack polled the second-highest tally of votes, but was ineligible after being reported and suspended in the final match of the season, ending his campaign prematurely.
Alpine Ranges midfielder, Brandon Betts (18 votes) finished second, just ahead of Kenner, who continues to attract the attention of umpires with his stylish play.
It was a case of three in a row for Ryan (20), who had five votes to spare from Buchan’s Claudia Hodge and Omeo-Benambra’s Natalie Mitchell when voting ceased.
Ryan has been the dominant player in the competition since crossing over from Lindenow South to take a coaching role at
the Swans.
In “B” grade netball, the Alpine Ranges Georgina Gray (25) was a runaway winner, accumulating eight more votes than runner-up, Rebecca Armstrong from Lindenow South.
Junior football was hotly contested and dominated by ladder leader, Lindenow South, with Kody Hammer (30) defeating his teammate, Blade Connelly by four votes, with the next best Buchan’s Roman Murphy with 19.
The most thrilling count was in the 17 and under netball, with just three votes separating the top five players.
Swan Reach’s Tiah Hood (23) was victorious from Swifts Creek’s Matilda Sheean and Lindenow South’s Piper O’Keefe (both 22), with Swan Reach’s Mahkylah Farnham (21) and Bruthen’s Kyah Hood (20) narrowly missing trophies.
