Inspirational Geelong VFL skipper James Byrne last night became the first Cats player to win VFL’s JJ Liston Trophy after a thrilling vote count in Melbourne.

Byrne polled 22 votes and overtook young Sandringham gun Shane Valenti in the final rounds of the season to win the VFL’s most prestigious individual honor by two votes.

Byrne described the award as one of the proudest moments in his football career and said he hoped it was a prelude to similar euphoria in two week’s time.

“It’s right up there. It’s probably one of the best things that I’ve done in footy,” he said.

“But, I’ve still got a lot I want to achieve this year and hopefully we can do it.

“If I could give it up for a premiership I’d definitely do that because I really want to be part of something successful with the guys I’ve been playing footy with.

“It’s them I really owe in getting this medal. It’s the boys I play with every week, it’s just an honor to captain that footy side and to win this medal is pretty much a group achievement.

“I’m very, very happy with the achievement, but I really want to focus on doing well for the team and helping the boys out and trying to lead by example and that’s my major focus, we’ve still got a lot of work to do.”

Four Geelong players finished in the top 10, including Byrne, Charlie Gardiner fourth, Josh Hunt fifth and Shannon Byrnes tenth.

Tim Callan, arguably one of the Cats’ most consistent performers this season, did not poll a vote.

“It’s just shows the consistency and evenness of the side, we don’t rely on one or two guys. Teams can can’t just shut down one or two guys, they’ve got to play well against the whole team,” Byrne said.

“I think it’s probably the most even team and probably the most talented team I’ve been involved in.”

Byrne paid tribute to Geelong’s all-conquering VFL squad and said he was overwhelmed by the company he had defeated to win the award.

“It’s definitely a massive honor, to be honest I didn’t expect it, I thought there were so many guys that I played footy with this year who could have won it,” he said.

“A joint award would have been nice, Shane’s a young guy coming up and I’m probably at the other end, but I’ll take it, it’s a huge honor.

“I actually thought a couple of our boys would poll really, really well, like Charlie and Shannon, which they did poll really well, but it’s a massive honor, pretty much a surreal feel at the moment, a real surprise.”

Byrne saved his biggest praise for co-team of the year inductees Jason Davenport and Todd Grima, giving the pair a glowing endorsement by declaring them ready for senior AFL football.

“I’ve got a lot of time for those two guys, they’ve got big futures in footy and I really hope they do get promoted at the end of the year because they both deserve it,” he said.

“They’re both good enough to play league footy and to get captain of that side with those guys in it, it’s a bonus, so I’m pumped for those two guys and hopefully we can have a lot of success together later on.

Byrne has now achieved every award in the VFL, except a premiership medallion and a Norm Goss Medal (best on ground in the grand final).

James Byrne honor role