Gold Coast’s Tom Lynch has claimed back-to-back Club Champion Awards, the All Australian key forward taking out the best & fairest award at a sold out event at Sharks Event Centre on the Gold Coast.
The vice-captain celebrated an emphatic victory in what became a landslide count, with Lynch polling a total of 209 votes – an impressive 80 votes clear of the nearest challenger.
The team’s night of nights capped off a busy 24 hours for Lynch, who flew back into the Gold Coast on Friday after receiving All Australian selection for the first time in his career on Thursday night in Melbourne.
Jarrod Harbrow’s consistent year saw him secure his first top three finish at the SUNS, the veteran finishing in the runners-up position (129) ahead of third-year SUN Jack Martin (102) who played 21 matches in 2016, taking his career games tally to 44.
Steven May came storming home late in the count, polling 70 of his 98 votes in the last seven games to finish fourth, ahead of Aaron Hall (93), Gary Ablett (91) and Touk Miller (81).
It was Lynch though who had the room cheering loudest though, the Gold Coast spearhead the only player to feature in all 22 of the SUNS fixtures in 2016.
Lynch’s dominance was celebrated as a remarkable achievement for a key position player who attracts the opposing team’s best defender each week.
With 66 goals to his name (equal third in the Coleman Medal tally alongside Adelaide’s Eddie Betts) Lynch was also the club’s leading goal kicker for the third season in a row, following his respective tallies of 43 and 46 in 2014 and 2015.
Other awards presented on the night included:
- Community Award – Jarrod Harbrow
- Elastoplast Most Improved – Peter Wright
- HOSTPLUS Most Professional – Dan Currie
- Players’ Player Award – Jarrod Harbrow
- NEAFL Player of the Year – Keegan Brooksby
- Distinguished Service Award – Janelle Manders
- Life Member Award – Bob Gordon
- Life Member Award – John Witheriff
2016 Gold Coast SUNS Club Champion Top Ten
1st – Tom Lynch 209
2nd – Jarrod Harbrow 129
3rd – Jack Martin 102
4th – Steven May 98
5th – Aaron Hall 93
6th – Gary Ablett 91
7th – Touk Miller 81
8th – Alex Sexton 73
9th – Dion Prestia 65
10th – Sam Day 54
2015 Gold Coast SUNS Club Champion Top Ten
1st – Tom Lynch 131
2nd – Kade Kolodjashnij 129
3rd – Steven May 102
4th – Touk Miller 77
5th – Michael Rischitelli 64
6th – Charlie Dixon 63
7th – Aaron Hall 60
8th – Adam Saad 48
9th – Gary Ablett 46
10th – Brandon Matera 41
