BOORT has been given a fillip heading into North Central football finals with reserves forward Alex Cockerell taking out the league’s best-and-fairest award.
In a late swoop, Cockerell shared the Goldsmith Trophy win on 15 votes with Sea Lake Nandaly’s Brody Weir.
He kicked 49 goals in his 16 games, with three votes for his seven goals against Charlton last Saturday enabling him to catch Weir, who did not poll a vote against Calder United.
Cockerell’s goal tally saw him tied with another Tigers player, Joel Clohesy, in the goalkicking lists after the home-and-away season.
The Magpies reserves will take on ladder-leading Calder in Saturday’s second semi-final, with a grand final spot on offer for the winners.
For the second year in succession, Boort’s Jhye Baddeley-Kelly has finished in the top three of voting for the Feeny Medal in senior football.
He polled 22 votes to finish two behind joint winners Hamish Hosking from Birchip Watchem and Sea Lake’s Wade Donnan, who took out the medal last season.
Baddeley-Kelly kicked 72 goals for the year as Boort returns to the finals, including two hauls of 10.
He had eight votes after three matches to take an early lead in the count.
Baddeley-Kelly feasted on the bottom three sides, compiling 20 votes, including six matches named best afield, in seven games against St Arnaud, Charlton and Donald.
He polled in every game against the cellar dwellers – 20 of 21 possible votes – but only claimed votes in one other match, with two against Sea Lake Nandaly in round 11.
Wedderburn’s Hamish Lockhart finished equal fourth with 21 votes.