JY SIMPKIN has continued to enhance his credentials as North Melbourne's next captain, winning his second consecutive Syd Barker Medal as the club's best and fairest on Thursday night.
In front of a packed crowd featuring newly-appointed Kangaroos coach Alastair Clarkson, Simpkin saw off the red-hot favourite Luke Davies-Uniacke to secure the honour and become just the 19th player to win multiple Syd Barker Medals.
Simpkin polled a total of 130 votes to mark another impressive year, finishing well clear of Davies-Uniacke (108 votes) in second. Bailey Scott (98 votes) rounded out the top-three, with Todd Goldstein (93 votes) and Luke McDonald (88 votes) also polling well.
It means the 24-year-old Simpkin has now won best and fairests in both seasons since being promoted to vice-captaincy duties alongside McDonald, with Jack Ziebell having held the post as North Melbourne's sole skipper for the last six years.
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Simpkin averaged 26.6 disposals throughout the season and produced career-high numbers for clearances (5.4 per game), tackles (4.5 per game), score involvements (five per game) and metres gained (398.1m per game) in another excellent campaign.
The club's awards dinner brought an end to a dismal on-field season for the Kangaroos, who were stuck to the bottom of the ladder for a second successive year and finished with a disastrous 2-20 record.
However, having parted ways with David Noble midway through the campaign, the club went all-out in its pursuit of four-time premiership legend Clarkson to be its next senior coach and ultimately secured his services on a five-year deal last month.
Clarkson, who met with North Melbourne players individually earlier this week, was in attendance at the Melbourne Showgrounds as the side's No.1 draft pick Jason Horne-Francis was earlier honoured with the Best Young Player Award.
Meanwhile Davies-Uniacke, fresh from a career-best campaign where he averaged 24.8 disposals per game, took out both the Glenn Archer Shinboner of the Year award and the Mazda Excellence Award.
McDonald was voted as the Harold Henderson Best Clubman, Charlie Lazzaro took home the Peter Scanlon Community Award, while former 113-game AFL player Dom Tyson won the John Law Medal as the club's VFL best and fairest.
North Melbourne's coaches award up to 20 votes in a match to decipher the best and fairest.
2022 Syd Barker Medal
1. Jy Simpkin - 130 votes
2. Luke Davies-Uniacke - 108
3. Bailey Scott - 98
4. Todd Goldstein - 93
5. Luke McDonald - 88
6. Nick Larkey - 79
7. Cam Zurhaar - 66
8. Aidan Corr - 59
9. Hugh Greenwood - 51
10. Lachie Young - 50
