WERRIBEE champion Dom Brew just keeps getting better with age, and he proved it again by claiming a dominant win in the rebel VFL Coaches Most Valuable Player award at Monday night’s VFL and VFLW Awards.
Brew, who led Geelong gun Mitch Hardie by 14 votes when the count went behind closed doors after Round 16, sealed his victory by polling eight, nine and four in the next three games against the Northern Bullants, Port Melbourne and Southport to take a 23-vote advantage with just two rounds to play.
Even though he failed to poll in the Round 21 win over Box Hill Hawks and did not record a single perfect 10, he finished with 103, taking votes in 15 of his 18 matches including four nines and four eights.
Brew has averaged 28.5 disposals (17.4 contested), 3.4 marks, 9.9 clearances, 9.4 tackles and 5.6 inside-50s – with all those being career bests except the tackles, which is unbelievably the lowest number of his career despite still being ranked No.1 in the competition by a long way.
Hardie finished with 15 votes in his last two games to finish on 91 and regain the second spot he lost to Jacob Dawson in Round 19, with the Southport ace polling 26 in the last four games to finish on 86 and record his third consecutive podium after a win in 2022 and runner-up last year.
The Cat picked up 28.8 disposals (10.5 contested), 5.1 marks, 5.8 clearances, 4.9 tackles and 4.3 inside-50s in his own career-best year, while Dawson continued to own the footy with 31.2 disposals (15.8 contested), 9.5 clearances and 4.4 tackles.
Hardie polled in 14 games and Dawson 15, while retiring Brisbane Lion Jarryd Lyons was fourth on 85 – eight votes more than when he won the Liston Medal last year.
The other half of the Sharks’ dynamic duo, Boyd Woodcock, rounded out the top five on 67 votes, just ahead of Frankston comeback kid Tom Murphy, Gold Coast ball magnet Rory Atkins, Lion midfielder Deven Robertson, Williamstown interceptor Luke Parks and breakout Footscray midfielder Cooper Craig-Peters.
Brew, who finished 10th in this award with 62 votes in last year’s Grand Final run for Werribee, told the crowd at the Crown Palladium ….
FINAL LEADERBOARD
103: Dom Brew (Wer)
91: Mitch Hardie (Gee)
86: Jacob Dawson (Sou)
85: Jarryd Lyons (BL)
67: Boyd Woodcock (Sou)
65: Tom Murphy (Fra)
62: Rory Atkins (GC)
54: Deven Robertson (BL)
53: Luke Parks (Wil)
52: Cooper Craig-Peters (Foo)
CLUB-BY-CLUB
Box Hill Hawks: H.Morrison 38, F.Maginness 36, C.Brown 34, J.Ward 34, C.Porter 29, S.Mitchell 28, H.Hustwaite 25, J.Serong 20, C.Mackenzie 14, M.Hall 13, S.Butler 10, N.Watson 10, L.Meek 10, C.Dear 8, B.Cavarra 7, Ethan Phillips 6, M.Ramsden 6, J.Bennetts 4, J.Arundell 2, J.O’Sullivan 1. Total: 334.
Brisbane Lions: J.Lyons 85, D.Robertson 54, J.Tunstill 34, J.Prior 28, D.Fort 24, H.Smith 23, L.Morris 20, D.Joyce 18, B.Reville 18, L.Beecken 14, H.Sharp 12, L.Lloyd 10, S.Brain 9, K.Lohmann 9, J.Madden 9, L.Ashcroft 7, W.McLachln 4, T.Abberley 3, B.Ryan 3, K.Dunkley 2, J.Manly 2, E.Macpherson 1, J.Payne 1, Z.Zakostelsky 1. Total: 391.
Carlton: M.Pittonet 25, J.Binns 24, Z.Maher 22, W.Hayes 21, L.McMahon 18, Lewis Young 8, J.Carroll 7, L.Cowan 7, D.Cuningham 6, C.Lord 6, H.O’Keefe 5, H.Ramshaw 5, W.White 5, Lachie Young 5, S.Durdin 4, M.Lewis 4, J.Motlop 4, N.Cahill 3, A.Cincotta 3, G.Hewett 3, G.Hewett 3, L.Nelson 3, O.Fantasia 2, B.Kemp 2, J.Lefroy 2. Total: 194.
Casey Demons: M.White 40, B.Laurie 30, A.Moniz-Wakefield 15, T.Fullarton 13, B.Brown 12, K.Brown 9, T.Sparrow 8, A.Tomlinson 8, B.Howes 7, M.Jefferson 7, M.Hore 6, K.Tholstrup 6, J.Billings 5, S.McAdam 5, J.Schache 5, L.Hunter 4, C.Hustwaite 4, O.Sestan 5, P.Cross 2, R.George 2, J.Adams 1. Total: 320.
Coburg: F.Gentile 48, J.Trudgeon 34, J.D’Intinosante 23, C.Keogh 18, H.Bromell 17, D.Toohey 13, D.Kalpakis 10, J.Corigliano 8, W.Bella 7, M.Podhajski 6, R.Sturgess 5, S.Grant 4, L.Podhajski 4, M.Thompson 4, B.Gillard 3, L.Walker 2, K.Weightman 2, J.May 1. Total: 209.
Collingwood: N.Long 26, F.Macrae 22, C.Dean 21, E.Allan 15, J.Richards 14, S.Glover 11, L.Sullivan 9, H.Harrison 7, R.Sparkes 7, J.Bytel 6, C.Lane 6, R.McInnes 5, J.Noble 5, H.DeMattia 4, A.Johnson 4, O.Markov 4, T.Jiath 3, A.Begg 2, N.Kreuger 2, I.Smit 1. Total: 174.
Essendon: E.Tsatas 39, N.Bryan 37, J.Hately 21, A.Roberts 20, D.Shiel 18, N.Hind 15, S.Weideman 13, M.Foley 12, B.Hobbs 12, X.O’Neill 12, S.El-Hawli 11 (total 28), W.Setterfield 11, W.Hoare 8, Z.Reid 8, J.Peris 7, A.Perkins 6, J.Shanahan 6 L.Hayes 5, J.Jedwab 5, T.Goldstein 4, T.Toma 4, J.Eckersely 3, J.Ridley 3, N.Caddy 2, S.McKay 2, J.Davey 1, B.Scott 1, O.Smartt 1, T.Wanganeen 1, P.Wright 1. Total: 289.
Footscray Bulldogs: C.Craig-Peters 52, R.Garcia 45, R.Sanders 31, C.Daniel 27, T.Bianco 23, J.Macrae 22, O.Baker 20, J.Harmes 18, R.Lobb 17, A.Scott 14, C.Poulter 12, H.Gallagher 10, A.Keath 10, L.Cleary 7, J.Freijah 7, L.McNeil 7, T.Duryea 4, E.Hunt 4, B.Khamis 4, J.O’Donnell 4, J.Busslinger 2, J.Gilbee 2, D.Orgill 2, L.Smith 2, D.Bedendo 1, S.Willoughby 1. Total: 348.
Frankston: T.Murphy 65, S.Quirk 42, G.Grey 39, M.Johnson 30, T.Mynott 25, T.Milne 17, J.Butland 9, T.Campbell-Farrell 9, B.O’Leary 7, J.Voss 6, N.Burke 5, T.Barlow 3, N.Gown 3, A.Grant 1, T.Owens 1, L.Sharp 1. Total: 263.
Geelong Cats: M.Hardie 91, T.Clohesy 45, M.Knevitt 39, B.Parfitt 29, L.Humphries 22, S.Mannagh 22, T.Conway 18, G.Stevens 13, J.Bews 11, S.Neale 11, T.Bruhn 10, M.Herbert 10, D.Capiron 7, J.Clark 6, O.Mullin 6, R.Stanley 5, E.Jeka 2, T.Murray 1, J.Willis 1. Total: 349.
Gold Coast Suns: R.Atkins 62, B.Fiorini 46, N.Moyle 38, J.Tsitas 20, A.Davies 17, L.Casboult 16, A.Sexton 14, B.Long 13, B.Ellis 10, J.Lukosius 9, J.Farrar 8, C.Graham 8, E.Read 7, L.Lombard 6, J.Rogers 6, O.Faulkhead 5, N.Holman 5, J.Jeffrey 5, S.Lemmens 5, M.Rosas 5, W.Graham 4, J.Mahony 4, S.Day 3, H.Oea 3, S.Brock 1, C.Budarick 1, D.Macpherson 1. Total: 322.
GWS Giants: N.Haynes 35, J.Peatling 27, N.Madden 21, H.Rowston 19, W.Derksen 18, M.Gruzewski 17, X.O’Halloran 17, J.Leake 13, C.Stone 13, D.Jones 12, A.Cadman 11, P.Gothard 10, C.Ward 10, T.McMullin 7, J.Fahey 6, J.Fonti 5, J.Bowne 4, J.Wehr 3, L.Aleer 1, M.Sheather 1. Total: 250.
North Melbourne: J.Watkins 47, C.Lazzaro 36, H.Greenwood 35, T.Sellers 13, R.Hansen 12, S.Lowson 12, F.Maley 12, J.Lienert 11, Z.Duursma 9, C.McKercher 9, C.Comben 6, Z.Fisher 4, M.Bergman 3, L.Butler 3, R.Hardeman 3, L.Shiels 3, J.Archer 2, B.Drury 2, W.Phillips 2, J.Stephenson 2, C.Downie 1, B.George 1, D.Stephens 1. Total: 229.
Northern Bullants: P.Fairlie 46, J.Velissaris 31, S.El-Hawli 17 (total 28), L.Mackie 9, J.Jorgensen 8, W.Elliott 5, M.King 3, F.Dreher 2, S.Gilbert 2. Total: 123.
Port Melbourne: B.Gowers 50, H.Hooper 40, T.Highmore 23, J.Miller 22, J.Green 11, T.Hird 11, F.Rosman 11, R.McComb 8, M.Signorello 8, L.Rankin 7, A.Anastasio 6, F.Flockhart 4, T.Hofert 3, H.Maguire 2, A.Manton 2, D.McKenzie 2, L.Coghlan 1, O.Mulady 1, C.Wild 1. Total: 215.
Richmond: S.Davidson 26, L.Wilson 26, K.McAuliffe 25, J.Garner 24, J.Blight 18, L.Street 18, T.Sonsie 15, C.Harris 14, S.Naismith 14, T.Brindley 11, A.Johnson 11, S.Banks 10, T.Dow 9, K.Smith 8, A.May 7, S.Ryan 7, M.Clarkson 6, C.Gray 6, J.Koschitzke 5, J.Trezise 5, C.Olden 4, S.Green 3, O.Hayes-Brown 3, H.Scott 3, J.Smith 3, J.Ross 2, M.Coulthard 1, M.El Nour 1, K.McIntosh 1, M.Rioli 1. Total: 287.
Sandringham: T.Campbell 42, H.Garcia 20, C.Sharman 15, A.Schoenmaker 14, D.Hipwell 12, Z.Jones 12, M.Phillipou 12, B.Crouch 11, H.Hall-Kahan 11, M.Allison 10, P.Dow 9, M.Heath 9, I.Keeler 9, S.Ross 9, A.Caminiti 7, T.Membrey 7, J.Hayes 6, H.Clark 5, L.Collard 4, Z.Cordy 3, O.Hotton 2, O.Lowe 2, W.Vesely 2, B.Watson 2, R.Bonner 1, R.Byrnes 1, A.McLennan 1, B.Paton 1. Total: 239.
Southport Sharks: J.Dawson 86, B.Woodcock 67, B.Jepson 41, J.Heron 27, B.Crossley 25, H.Dixon 17, M.Spencer 16, J.Joyce 15, Z.Foot 7, K.Gray 7, J.Edwards 5, W.Sexton 4, M.Shannon 4, J.Lockhart 2, M.McGuinness 2, W.Buzza 1. Total: 326.
Sydney Swans: A.Francis 38, C.Cleary 30, P.Ladhams 30, A.Sheldrick 28, C.Mitchell 27, B.Edwards 21, J.Hamling 20, L.Parker 16, B.Campbell 12, Corey Warner 10, N.Shipley 7, J.Lugsdin 5, S.Reid 5, J.Bartholomaeus 4, J.Magor 3, P.Snell 3, C.Vickery 3, W.Edwards 2, M.Geddes 2. Total: 266.
Werribee: D.Brew 103 (winner), J.Henderson 38, R.Bice 26, J.Riding 25, N.Cooper 24, H.Garoni 23, L.Pinnuck 21, A.Johnson 19, B.Malual 19, N.Coughlan 18, K.Declase 14, J.Clark 9, J.Dahlhaus 9, A.Hicks 6, J.Pavlidis 5, Z.Banch 4, S.Conway 4, D.Andrews 3, S.Radovanovic 3, N.Hayes 3, J.Smith 1. Total: 376.
Williamstown: L.Parks 53, R.Collier-Dawkins 44, W.Fordham 34, T.Downie 30, C.Ellison 30, B.McLaughlin 16, F.O’Dwyer 16, J.Toner 16, A.Bonar 10, C.Polson 9, T.Triffett 8, J.Fitzgerald 5, N.Ebinger 4, C.Rich 4, B.Coleman 3, M.Cox 3, J.Greiser 3, M.Philpot 3, N.Colenson 2, H.Minton-Connell 2. Total: 295.