Nick Graham polled the most votes for the Northern Blues at the J. J. Liston Trophy last night for the VFL’s best and fairest player.

Graham polled five votes in as many games early in the season, on a night where North Ballarat’s Nick Rippon came away with the award after polling 15 votes.

Regularity in votes were few and far between for Northern players, with 34 votes over the season spread across 14 individuals.

With Northern winning four games for the season, polling maximum votes was hard to come by, with Graham polling three in our maiden victory against Sandringham.

Jason Tutt polled maximum votes in the loss to Williamstown in the opening round, as did David Ellard in a losing side to Coburg in Round 8.

The rest of Graham’s tally was made up via the two votes he polled in the agonising eight-point loss to Essendon in Round 6.

Matthew Watson and Liam Jones’ respective six-goal hauls against Werribee and Frankston saw them poll three votes in successive weeks.

Frankston’s Ben Cavarra won the three votes in the Blues’ 18-point win over the Dolphins in Round 4, ahead of Brent Bransgrove and Tutt.

Eventual winner Rippon came storming home to win by one vote in the final game of the season, ahead of four competitors one vote behind him on 14 votes.

Ahead of teammate and past winner Myles Sewell, favourite Clinton Jones, Williamstown’s Sam Dunell and Richmond’s Matt Thomas, Rippon’s final round three votes was enough for him to take home the Liston.

Earlier in the night, Kieran McGuinness’ soaring grab against the Zebras featured in second spot in the VFL Plays of the Year, behind only Jonathan Simpkin’s 90-metre torpedo against the Blues.

The Northern Blues’ own best and fairest the Laurie Hill Trophy will take place this Thursday September 10 from Mantra Bell City, Preston.

Northern Blues J. J. Liston leaderboard
N. Graham 5
J. Tutt 4
L. Jones 4
B. Bransgrove 3
D. Ellard 3
M. Watson 3
T. Wilson 2
K. McGuinness 2
M. Whiley 2
B. Johnson 2
B. Walsh 1
M. Kreuzer 1
D. Buckley 1
J. Wilkinson 1
CLUB ROUND TOTAL 34

Round-by-round (Northern Blues matches)

Round 1 v Williamstown (LOSS)
3 votes: Jason Tutt (Northern Blues)
2 votes: Ben Jolley (Williamstown)
1 vote: Dylan Buckley (Northern Blues)

Round 2 v Port Melbourne (LOSS)
3 votes: Blake Pearson (Port Melbourne)
2 votes: Tom Wilson (Northern Blues)
1 vote: Chris Cain (Port Melbourne)

Round 3 v Sandringham (WIN)
3 votes: Nick Graham (Northern Blues)
2 votes: Kieran McGuinness (Northern Blues)
1 vote: Mitch Brown (Sandringham)

Round 4 v Frankston (WIN)
3 votes: Ben Cavarra (Frankston)
2 votes: Brent Bransgrove (Northern Blues)
1 vote: Jason Tutt (Northern Blues)

Round 5 v North Ballarat (LOSS)
3 votes: Myles Sewell (North Ballarat)
2 votes: Bryce Curnow (North Ballarat)
1 vote: Brad Walsh (Northern Blues)

Round 6 v Essendon (LOSS)
3 votes: Shaun McKernan (Essendon)
2 votes: Nick Graham (Northern Blues)
1 vote: Anthony Tipungwuti (Essendon)

Round 7 v Box Hill (LOSS)
3 votes: Sam Iles (Box Hill)
2 votes: Jonathan Simpkin (Box Hill)
1 vote: Matthew Kreuzer (Northern Blues)

Round 8 v Coburg (LOSS)
3 votes: David Ellard (Northern Blues)
2 votes: Daniel Venditti (Coburg)
1 vote: Mark Orr (Coburg)

Round 9 - BYE

Round 10 v Werribee (WIN)
3 votes: Matthew Watson (Northern Blues)
2 votes: Mark Whiley (Northern Blues)
1 vote: Jye Bolton (Werribee)

Round 11 v Frankston (WIN)
3 votes: Liam Jones (Northern Blues)
2 votes: Blaine Johnson (Northern Blues)
1 vote: Brent Bransgrove (Northern Blues)

Round 12 v Footscray (LOSS)
3 votes: Will Hayes (Footscray)
2 votes: Lachie Hunter (Footscray)
1 vote: Thomas Sharp (Footscray)

Round 13 v Richmond (LOSS)
3 votes: Matt McDonough (Richmond)
2 votes: Matt Thomas (Richmond)
1 vote: Joel Wilkinson (Northern Blues)

Round 14 v Casey (LOSS)
3 votes: Mark Jamar (Casey Scorpions)
2 votes: Jack Grimes (Casey Scorpions)
1 vote: Liam Jones (Northern Blues)

Round 15 - BYE

Round 16 v North Ballarat (LOSS)
3 votes: Robin Nahas (North Ballarat)
2 votes: Myles Sewell (North Ballarat)
1 vote: Nick Rippon (North Ballarat)

Round 17 v Collingwood (LOSS)
3 votes: Ben Kennedy (Collingwood)
2 votes: Patrick Karnezis (Collingwood)
1 vote: Jarrod Witts (Collingwood)

Round 18 v Sandringham (LOSS)
3 votes: Clint Jones (Sandringham)
2 votes: Tim Membrey (Sandringham)
1 vote: Luke Delaney (Sandringham)

Round 19 v Box Hill (LOSS)
3 votes: James Sicily (Box Hill)
2 votes: Sam Iles (Box Hill)
1 vote: Brendan Whitecross (Box Hill)

Round 20 v Geelong (LOSS)
3 votes: George Horlin-Smith (Geelong)
2 votes: Jarrad Jansen (Geelong)
1 vote: Dawson Simpson (Geelong)