Twists and turns lurk - September 11 2008
Twists and turns lurk
September 11 2008
Shepparton News
Back-to-back ineligible ``winners'' is a distinct possibility when the men's North Eastern Soccer League best and fairest medal count is held on Saturday night.
After Cobram Victory's Frank Bazzano polled the most votes last year as an ineligible player, Shepparton's league leading scorer Stuart Vance might suffer the same fate after being shown two red cards during the year.
The twists won't just be limited to the men, with Cobram's Clorinda Iannucci among the favourites to take out the women's award despite playing just eight of 21 home and away games.
Shepparton South coach Serkan Aktas finished third in last year's count and was backing Shepparton United goalkeeper Joey Perkovic to win the league's top honour.
``He was outstanding every time we played against him and every time we had the bye and watched United,'' Aktas said.
However Perkovic's five yellow cards during the season could count against him winning votes from the referees.
Aktas said contenders for the award from the outfield were Tatura's Spiro Vourgaslis, Shepparton United's Bruce Hogg, Bazzano and a smokey from his own team, Greg Nash.
Shepparton United striker Jess Theobald's mammoth goal tally of 42 strikes has the 2005 winner in the frame to take out the women's award again, having been tipped into second place by two votes last year.
However, the players laying off assists for Theobald's goals could also be among the contenders, 15-year-old Imogen Head having come of age as one of the competition's dominant midfielders.
New faces in the league Samantha McIntosh of Shepparton and Georgia Oudeman of Cobram Victory will be among the challengers to Theobald, however, both arguably produced their best performances of the season playing representative soccer for the North Eastern country championships team.
Last year's winner Derya Tanrikulu is in the same boat as Iannucci, having only made limited appearances for the Ibises after splitting her commitments with women's state league team Bendigo Vipers.
RECENT WINNERS
NESL men's and women's best and fairest
2007: Carl Fannon (Cobram), Derya Tanrikulu (Tatura)
2006: Andy Ingham (Shepparton), Claire Hepper (Shepparton South)
2005: Andy Ingham (Shepparton), Jess Theobald (Shepparton United)
2004: Luke Slater (Shepparton), Nicky Smith (Shepparton)
2003: Andy Ingham (Shepparton), Renae McCanna (Hanwood)
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