Dandenong batter Brett Forsyth and Geelong all-rounder Stephanie Townsend have won the Jack Ryder Medal and Una Paisley Medal respectively at the Kookaburra Premier Cricket Awards held at the MCG last Friday.
Townsend’s win makes history for Geelong, as the first Una Paisley medallist for the club in Geelong’s inaugural season in the Women’s Premier XI competition.
Townsend won the Sue Woolcock Award as the best player in the Women’s Premier 2nd XI competition in the previous season.
Townsend played 9 One Day matches across the season, scoring 458 runs at an average of 57.25 and was the leading run scorer in the home and away rounds.
Townsend also took three wickets, seven catches and a stumping to showcase her all-round ability.
The former Bomber and Demon secured 25 votes, winning by one vote over Carlton’s Cailin Green.
For Forsyth the win marked his second Jack Ryder Medal, polling 27 votes to finish two votes clear of Footscray’s Dylan Brasher and Fitzroy Doncaster bowler Sean McNicholl.Â
Forsyth remains the only Dandenong player to have won the Ryder Medal.
Forsyth played 14 matches across the season, finishing with 781 runs at an average of 78.10 with four centuries.
His stand-out performances included 135* vs Casey South Melbourne in the opening round and 137 v Camberwell Magpies in Round 16.
Jack Ryder Medal
Brett Forsyth (Dandenong)
Una Paisley Medal
Stephanie Townsend (Geelong)
Kookaburra Women’s Premier Team of the Season
Erica Kershaw (Carlton) (c)
Stephanie Townsend (Geelong)
Caitlin Green (Carlton)
Tess Flintoff (Ringwood)
Hasrat Gill (Melbourne)
Nipuni Hansika (Plenty Valley)
Tia Davidge (Essendon Maribyrnong Park) (wk)
Sarnsiree Plant (Box Hill)
Zoe Griffiths (Box Hill)
Ira Aery (Essendon Maribyrnong Park)
Anna O’Donnell (Prahran)
Grace Jones (Geelong)
Kookaburra Men’s Premier Team of the Season
Brett Forsyth (Dandenong) (c)
Blake Thomson (Melbourne)
Ashley Chandrasinghe (Casey South Melbourne)
Dylan Brasher (Footscray)
Farzan Chowna (Essendon)
Dhanusha Gamage (Dandenong)
Jack Lalor (Northcote)
Jai Lemire (Carlton) (wk)
Nathan Lambden (Casey South Melbourne)
Sean McNicholl (Fitzroy Doncaster)
Callum Stow (Geelong)
William Walker (Camberwell Magpies)
Women's 1st XI T20 Player of the Year
Tess Flintoff (Ringwood) & Sophie Reid (Carlton)
June Cole Award - Best First Year Female 1st XI Player
Annie Taylor (Geelong)
Marg Jennings Cup and Dowling Shield Players of the Tournament
Meg Lanning Award (Marg Jennings Cup)
Jayda Wright (Carlton)
Dowling Shield
Jackson Edwards (Ringwood)
Under 18 Men’s and Women’s Players of the Tournament
Men
Mitchell Kirkwood-Scott (Prahran)
Women
Grace Moyle (Carlton)
For a full recap of the award winners and vote getters, a copy of the Awards Booklet can be viewed here