Who would win the Riddell League’s highest individual football award, the 2025 Bowen Medal, was in doubt until the very last round.
The deadlock was broken with Wallan’s skilful midfielder, Steven Boyall, gaining three votes against Gisborne Giants to finish with 23 votes.
It was the 32-year-old’s second Bowen Medal, having previously won in 2022 with 29 votes.
Boyall had a knee reconstruction after being injured last season, and his ability to come back to stand out at the top level in the RDFNL is remarkable.
He finished three votes ahead of Diggers Rest dynamo Marcus Calvaresi, with Lachlan Prichard (Melton South) third. Prichard was the 2025 ‘Young Gun’ winner.
Woodend-Hesket’s Daniel Toman, who won the 2023 medal and was runner-up last year, finished on 16 votes along with Riddell’s Dylan Tarczon.
Toman, a prodigious ball winner, was Player of the Year.
In the Reserves, the Scarborough Medal went to Matt Traynor (Wallan) for the fourth successive season, ahead of Sean Duggan (Riddell) and Anthony Hibbert (Melton South).
Romsey’s Dylan Kenyon capped off a fine season by winning the Watson Medal for best player in the Under 19.5s. William Rousch (Diggers Rest) was runner-up.
