Julian Jacobs Wins Mitchell Medal

Tiger wins top award
Kalgoorlie Miner - 31st August 2010, 9:30 WST
Boulder midfielder Julian Jacobs capped a dominant debut season by winning the Mitchell Medal as the Goldfields Football League’s premier player last night. Jacobs was a convincing winner with 41 votes – 12 clear of Boulder’s star forward Darren Bradshaw, who was ineligible. Renowned for his superb physical conditioning, Jacobs made his reputation in the Goldfields this season with several gut-busting displays on the football field, as well as side pursuits in triathlon and cycling. Jacobs, who was the first player from the Esperance recruiting zone to represent a Subiaco league side, completed a full WAFL pre-season. But the Lion became a Tiger in April after moving to Kalgoorlie-Boulder to pursue studies at the WA School of Mines. Jacobs missed two games in July while on representative duty with WA at the national country championships in Canberra, but it mattered little. He polled votes in 10 out of 13 games and was adjudged best-on-ground on five occasions.

Jacobs led Mines Rovers ruckman Luke Nugent with 19 votes to 18 at the half-way point of last night’s count at the Tower Hotel before becoming Boulder’s first Mitchell Medallist since Clinton Rudd in 2004. Bradshaw was deemed ineligible after copping a two-week suspended sentence for minor striking in May.  The incident with Kalgoorlie defender Daniel Lok occurred in round eight and prompted the GFL to seek clarification from the WA Country Football League late last week regarding Bradshaw’s eligibility for the Mitchell Medal. Bradshaw, who became just the fourth player in GFL history to kick 100 goals in a season in 2010, received some consolation when he collected the Dick Robinson Medal for his efforts. Last season’s runner-up Nugent again polled strongly to finish third, despite being plagued by injury late in the season. Diorites captain Trent Moon, runner-up in 2007, returned to his best form this season to finish fourth.Boulder’s Ben Andrews, who was fourth in the 2006 voting while playing for Kambalda, tied with Railways premiership player Aaron Rymer for fifth spot.  Rymer has overcome a forgettable 2009 season to play a key role in Railways’ push for the premiership, playing his 100th game in the season-opener.  It was the fourth time in the past five seasons Rymer has finished in the top seven for the Mitchell Medal voting. In other awards, Railways utility Alek Oliver won the Milton Cairnduff Memorial GFL Rookie of the Year award.  Past winners include former West Coast champion Dean Kemp (1987). Mines Rovers claimed the George Krepp Memorial champion club award for the fourth successive year. Mines youngster Matt Braham edged out team-mate Norman Stubbs for the Len Stokes Medal as colts fairest and best.  Diorites veteran Brett Turner added to his 2003 win with his second Don Jones Medal for the leading reserves player. Railways’ Ryan Edwards led the colts goalkicking for the second successive season with 44 goals, while Mines forward Darrah Doutch (96) led the reserves and has at least one more game to crack the ton in the finals.
JARROD LUCAS