Star Richmond midfielder Dion Prestia has been rewarded for his consistently high level of performance throughout the 2019 season with an inaugural Jack Dyer Medal.
Prestia, who played all 25 games in the Tigers’ premiership year, took out the Best and Fairest award at tonight’s count held at a packed Crown Palladium ballroom.
He polled 91 votes, which was 12 more than brilliant playmaker Shane Edwards, who finished runner-up with 79 votes.
Our 2019 Jack Dyer medallist ⭐️✨ #JDM19 pic.twitter.com/yNa7cORDzE
— Richmond FC (@Richmond_FC) October 1, 2019
Top defender Dylan Grimes was third on 75 votes, another gun backman, Nick Vlastuin, came fourth with 70 votes, while powerhouse key forward Tom Lynch filled fifth place on 69 votes.
Prestia’s exemplary consistency was underlined by him polling Jack Dyer Medal votes in every match this season.
Our top five of 2019 ✨ #gotiges pic.twitter.com/4ESigX5X2q
— Richmond FC (@Richmond_FC) October 1, 2019
Edwards claimed the Jack Titus Medal for his career-high, second-placed Richmond Best and Fairest finish.
He averaged 21.9 disposals, 3.6 clearances, 3.3 marks 3.1 tackles, 4.8 score involvements and 320.5 metres gained per match in his 24 games this season.
At Tigerland, he was ranked No. 3 for contested possessions, No. 3 for clearances, No. 3 for centre clearances, equal No. 3 for tackles, No. 4 for disposals, No. 4 for intercepts and No. 4 for metres gained.
Grimes, who was awarded the Maurie Fleming Medal, averaged 12.9 disposals, 5.4 marks, 6.9 intercepts, 6.4 one-percenters and 2.9 rebound-50s across the 24 games he played.
He was the No. 1 ranked Richmond player for one-percenters, No. 2 for contested marks, No. 2 for intercepts, No. 4 for rebound-50s, No. 4 for marks, and he also was selected in the All-Australian team for the first time.
The match committee assesses each player’s offensive, defensive and contest impacts on the game.
Votes are not allocated for what the match committee deems a below-average performance.
Equal 10th Jason Castagna, 47 votes
Equal 10th Daniel Rioli, 47 votes
Equal 13th Liam Baker, 41 votes
Equal 13th Sydney Stack, 41 votes
15th Kamdyn McIntosh, 34 votes
Equal 16th Nathan Broad, 31 votes
Equal 16th Jack Graham, 31 votes