Goalkickers could buck trend

The key forwards would have been following the outcome of the hearing, at which Semmel was found guilty of striking, but received only a reprimand.

It means the count favourite is still eligible to win the award.

By my count, and that of club officials, he can expect to poll in a minimum of eight of his 15 games.

Votes may go the way of his bearded brother, left footer Luke, along with Nathan O’Reilly, but the Lions are a very even outfit outside of the three mid-field stars.

Semmel could qualify as a goalkicker in his own right, despite being based in the mid-field, having kicked 43 goals for the season.

Bags of five, six, seven and 10, along with a trifecta of three goal hauls — all while starting at most centre bounces — will ensure him of winning plenty of votes.

Without Semmel in the field the mid-field domination could have been under threat by century goalkickers Cupido and Exell.

My tip is both of the star full forwards could still buck the trend of several decades and fight it out for the 2022 McNamara Medal.

That is despite the fact their season long returns of 101 (Girgarre’s Cupido) and 102 (Violet Town’s Exell) goals are well below those of previously unsuccessful — in the best and fairest count at least — key forwards.

The league is scattered with evidence of big name forwards being ignored by the men in white, not even Perry Meka’s 134, 143 and 151 goal home-and-away seasons could influence a result in his favour.

To be fair, and from significant personal experience, Meka did have quite a bit of advice for everyone on the playing arena in his day — including the umpires.

Not even Shane Loveless (140 goals in 1996), Danny Irwin, Gavin Exell, Damien Yze, Sam La Porta, Brent Arho and more recently Josh Mellington, who averaged almost 10 goals a game last season, have won the league’s top individual gong.

Exell’s season, by my judgement, could be rewarded with six best on ground awards.

He plays further afield, on occasion, than the aforementioned goalkickers and has heavily influenced nine of his team’s 11 home-and-away season wins.

His dimensions, tall and thin, make him impossible to miss — as does his fluent running and kicking style.

He has kicked bags of 13 twice and can pencil in three votes for his 17 goals in round 14.

One of those 13 goal hauls came alongside Josh Mellington’s 17 majors for the afternoon. Mellington did, however, miss four games midway through the season.

Exell’s nine goals against Girgarre in round nine and two bags of seven — including in a one point win against top of the ladder Avenel in the final home and away round — will also earn him recognition.

My tip, if the umpires are as appreciative of his style as the spectators, is that he could top out at 20 votes. That will be enough to feature in the finish.

Cupido has been among the most dominant figures on the ground in all seven of his team’s 2022 victories.

He is a walk up start, in my mind, for 15 votes as his deadly left boot and significant presence — along with his status as coach of the team — means umpires will be acutely aware of his influence on the result.

Cupido could finish with as much as 18 votes for the season.

Speaking of goalkickers, Merrigum mid-fielder Jack Sinclair has had a fantastic season. He has kicked 32 goals from 15 games, but the Bulldogs have won just seven of those.

Brayden Avola from Avenel is a proven vote-catcher, as is Lancaster coach Tom Davies, while James Milne and Aidan Lloyd from Murchison-Toolamba are their club’s best chances.

Dookie’s Josh Kezerele may not have been involved in enough wins, while picking the difference between Nagambie’s Blake and Nathan Fothergill will be the major challenge in vote casting for the men in green.

The vote count will be held on Thursday, September 22, as a virtual event.