Former Richmond small forward Andrew Krakouer has capped a remarkable football comeback with WAFL club Swan Districts by winning the Sandover Medal as the best and fairest player in the competition.
Krakouer polled 44 votes, under the 5-4-3-2-1 voting system, with six best-on-ground performances, to beat Claremont’s Luke Blackwell by eight votes at last Monday night’s (September 13) medal count held at Perth’s Burswood Entertainment Complex.
The 27-year-old, who played 102 games and kicked 102 goals for Richmond from 2001-07, was hot favorite going into the count following an outstanding season with Swan Districts. He averaged 27 possessions per game, kicked 35 goals, and was a match-winner on several occasions with his individual brilliance.
This has been Krakouer’s first full season of football with Swans after being convicted of serious assault and spending about 16 months in prison.
Krakouer, who was delisted by the Tigers at the end of the 2007 season, returned to WA and played the first nine games of the 2008 season with Swan Districts, before being found guilty of assault and receiving a prison sentence.
On Sunday, he will be hoping to land the prized football double when he lines up for Swans Districts in the 2010 WAFL grand final against Claremont.
