In a thrilling vote count, Jesse Schmidt claimed back-to-back Best and Fairest awards for the Port Magpies Australian Rules football club last Friday night.

The Settler’s Inn Magpies held a gala night of nights with 55 members in attendance as Schmidt held off the fast-finishing Justin Mohr and Greg Dean with the final vote card of the night.

As the last round of votes were read out, Dean claimed the lead polling 5 votes and knocking Schmidt off the top of the leaderboard for the first time in the evening.

Then it was Mohr’s name read out to jump one vote ahead of Dean with only one vote card left.

Schmidt picked up 5 votes with the final card and won the award by three votes to claim back-to-back titles.

In reserve grade, Scott Payne had a similar finish against Craig Carroll.

Carroll polled one vote in the final game which left him four short of life member Payne.

The Under 18 award was won by rising star Shane Williams.

Williams overran Brayden Kennedy and Liam Carroll with the strong mid and late-season polling.

Club president, Paul Sheldon, paid tribute to the gathered Magpies and urged the current playing group to spread their membership base by encouraging new and devoted AFL fans back to the club in 2010.

In other major awards on the night, Shannon Skreja won the Players’ Player award while Gordon Wiegold was announced as Clubperson of the year.

The club will hold its AGM on Saturday, September 26 (AFL Grand Final day) from 12.30pm at committeeman Trevor Long’s Skirmish Down Under venue.

AWARDS AT A GLANCE

Under 18s: Most Consistent - Brent Tritton; Most Determined - Pat Pollard; Team Man -  Mitch Clark.

Reserve Grade: Most Consistent - Dan Scott; Most Determined - Anthony Beasley; Team Man - Luke Long; Best In Finals - Dan Scott.

First Grade: Most Consistent - Shannon Skreja; Most Determined - Mark Harvey; Team Man  - Clayton Miechel.