SA Medal wins ... In "The Advertiser" today ... uncut
TweetSTURT guard Tom Daly last night reinforced the Sabres' domination of the Woollacott Medal while Jess Mahony became a multiple Halls Medallist at this year's joint-count.
Mahony, who won her first Halls as SA's fairest and most brilliant women's player in 2002 at Sturt, last night made history as the first Central Districts' player to claim the top honour.
She became only the club's second medallist, behind Steve Brekke who won the Woollacott in 1984, when she polled 40 votes to pip Eastern's Tess Madgen (39).
Forestville's Olivia Thompson was third on 35 votes, Madgen's chance at a second Halls probably hurt by her missing rounds 10-13.
Mahony's 10-year break between medals is the second longest behind Sturt's Ilze Nagy who won in 1973 and 1984.
By polling 32 votes to beat West Bearcats import Howard Salters Jnr on 31, Daly, battling to make Adelaide's NBL team, kept the medal at Sturt.
He became Sturt's ninth Woollacott Medallist - an SA record - following Jacob Holmes, Darren Ng, Oscar Forman, Jeff Bickmore, Butch Hays, Phil Smyth, Albert Leslie and the late Mal Heard.
He also cleaned up the MVP award, voted on by players, and was in the All Star Five with Kyle Miller (Centrals), Tim Klaosen (Sturt), Brian Moultrie (Norwood) and Pero Vasiljevic (North).
Southern's Codey Ellison won the Frank Angove Medal as the top Woollacott Medal votegetter under 21, Norwood's Todd Matthews was the state league's best defensive player and Sturt's Tom James-Martin Coach of the Year.
While Madgen narrowly missed the Halls, she was voted MVP and Thompson took the Merv Harris Medal as the best player under 21.
Mahony, who also was named best defensive player, surprisingly missed All Star Five selection, Madgen and Thompson joined by Lauren Mansfield and Jamie-Lee Peris of North, and Norwood's Jess Foley.
North's Barry Mansfield was the women's Coach of the Year.
Nathan Durant and Mark Frost won the Phil Yuill Memorial Trophy for Referee of the Year for the men's and women's competitions respectively.
Votes for the medals are cast on a three-two-one basis and Mahony polled in 17 of the regular season's 18 games to score her Halls-winning 40 votes.
She had nine firsts, five seconds and three thirds to pip Madgen, who also was pursuing her second Halls Medal.
Madgen had 11 first preference votes and three seconds and Thompson's 35 votes comprised nine firsts, three seconds and two thirds.
Daly had eight first preferences, three seconds and two thirds for his Woolacott Medal-winning 32 votes.
Salter was a vote behind with six firsts, five seconds and three third preferences.
Vasiljevic did a great job for a playing coach to come third with 27 votes, five firsts, five seconds and two thirds.
Both Daly and Vasiljevic will join the 36ers on their China tour next week.