Farmers milk the votes

Ryan, the North Warrnambool Eagles captain, learnt from his first triumph in the medal two years ago when he had to interrupt milking to celebrate, yesterday leaving those duties to an apprentice.

But Cobden ruckman Dare wasn’t so lucky, having to rush away from the presentations in Warrnambool to help his father Dennis with the nightly task at Nalangil.

Ryan and Dare polled 25 votes each to edge out last year’s winner, Warrnambool midfielder Josh Walters, and South Warrnambool onballer Nick Thompson, who were tied on 23 votes.

Dare polled in 11 of Cobden’s 18 home-and-away matches, including six best-on-ground performances, while Ryan received four three-votes in 11 games he caught the attention of the umpires.

In a dramatic climax to the count at City Memorial Bowls Club, both Dare and Ryan, named their clubs’ best players when the two teams met in the final game of the regular season at Cobden Recreation Reserve, failed to get any votes from umpires, ensuring the tie.

It was the first tie since Koroit’s Joe McLaren and South Warrnambool’s Ben Kilday in 2005 and the fifth since the award was introduced 61 years ago.

“I’m very lucky to be up here,” Ryan said.

“When we played Cobden in the last round Levi was their best. I’m surprised he didn’t figure in the votes.”

Dare said he thought Ryan would have polled in the game. Dare, Ryan and Walters all failed to pick up votes in the final round, with Thompson earning a one vote.

The Maskell Medal capped a memorable day for Dare, who also took home the league’s MVP award, community radio station 3WAY FM’s MVP award and was named in the league’s team of the year.

The 20-year-old revealed he was uncertain about his immediate playing future, having completed a one-year deal with the Bombers.

“I always strive to play at the highest level you can,” he said.

“If you can play a high standard then you should.”

He said he would assess his future, hinting he would like to have another crack at VFL level.

“I would if I had the money, if I was living in Melbourne.”

Dare was playing with Port Melbourne last year but after knee and thigh injuries hampered his start to the season, he found himself short of match practice mid-season, with his VFL club set to have two weeks off out of three.

He approached Colac, his former side, which plays in the Geelong league, about playing a couple of games but was told unless he could commit to playing seven games to qualify for finals, he wasn’t wanted.

He rang one of his former coaches John Pekin, who was in charge at Camperdown, but was told the finals-bound Magpies would have been “too top heavy”.

Desperate for some game time, he was contemplating district league football until he heard Cobden’s reserves were short.

Then Bombers coach Wayne Walsh invited him to training and he played one game in the seniors before rejoining Port Melbourne.

Then as the milk price plummeted and petrol prices soared, Dare could not afford to trek to Melbourne three times a week (training and games) so he stayed with the Bombers, playing the final nine games of the season.

“You don’t think about these things,” Dare said as he pondered his Maskell destiny.

“I didn’t ever think I would be a chance. I thought I was OK but not outstanding. It’s a tremendous honour to win.

“My old man played in the Hampden league and when he talked about good footballers he associated them with the Maskell Medal.”

At his tender age, Dare doesn’t see himself as a “good footballer”.

“I do what I can. I’m a ruckman first. You are only a ruckman when you are in the centre for the tap.

“When the ball hits the ground you have to be a midfielder, when it goes back you have to be a defender, when it goes forward you have to be a forward.”