The West Warrnambool skipper finished on 18 votes - six more than Russells Creek's Cam Williams, Merrivale's Marcus Bunney and North Warrnambool's Bailey Jenkinson - to clinch the Brebner Cup on Wednesday night.

It came after an all-conquering season. Threlfall averaged 56.7 en route to a 554-run season, the most of any player in the association.

He picked up the majority of votes in the first half of the campaign - Threlfall had four three-vote games in his first six - and remarkably grabbed just four after round six.

Threlfall said he thought he had "not too bad a year" but was unsure if he'd poll as it was often an award reserved for all-rounders.

"I think if you win games it helps to poll votes too, but we didn't win a lot of games," he said.

"I managed to get enough votes so that was nice."

The 26-year-old said taking the captaincy two seasons ago had helped his game.

"It's definitely helped my cricket. I'm normally a pretty quiet, happy to stand at the back of the group sort of bloke," he said.

"I think being captain has made me sort of come forward and talk in front of the group and that sort of stuff. I've definitely felt this year especially I've been so determined to do well for the side.

"I've just wanted to contribute and win games and it's really made me focus this year."

Threlfall paid tribute to outgoing coach Alastair Templeton and several elder Panthers for their role in his development as a player and leader.

"In my early days I learned a lot off those more experienced, older players," he said.

"You learn a lot just playing and figuring out how to play the game and how to win games, how to make runs."

He said he was excited to work alongside incoming mentor Tyler Fowler and push for a return to finals.

West finished sixth in 2021-22, just eight-odd points outside the top four.

"He probably thinks a little bit different to Al. He has a different opinion and I'll work closely with him," he said.

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"He's had that experience and you can't buy that experience. It'll help us."

Northern Raiders veteran Dallas Armitstead was the division two cricketer of the year on the back of a 661-run season.

The opening batsman crunched an incredible three centuries through the season, helping his side to a grand final berth against Koroit on Saturday.

Dennington's Adam Sell was the division three cricketer of the year, beating out teammate Nicholas Squires in a one-vote thriller.

Nestles star Mikaela Doran was crowned women's cricketer of the year after a stellar 23-vote campaign.

She became the second recipient in the award's short history.

A suspension to Nestles' Tim Cain meant Southern Titans' Paul Lumsden and Factory's Adam Whyte shared the division four gong.

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