Exciting 17-year old GC SUNS midfielder David Swallow has capped off an outstanding year by finishing fourth in the prestigious JJ Liston Trophy count for the VFL’s Best and Fairest Player.
Swallow, who played 15 games this year, earned 12 votes over the course of the season.
In the end, he finished behind joint winners Stevie Clifton (North Ballarat) and Shane Valenti (Port Melbourne) and just one vote adrift of the third place-getter, Box Hill’s Ed Curnow.
It was an extraordinary effort by Swallow, one highlighted by the fact he earned his votes with four outright best-on-ground performances. It could arguably have been better had the young Western Australian held off on a late season surgical procedure that saw him miss the last two games of the year.
Charlie Dixon, Brandon Matera and Daniel Harris also attracted votes for the GC SUNS.
Unsurprisingly, Swallow was named in the VFL Team of the Year.
Joining him was GC SUNS ruckman Zac Smith.
GC SUNS season-long on-field and off-field professionalism was also recognised when the club placed second by a single vote to Casey Scorpions in the VFL’s Best Conducted Club Award. The award, voted upon by the umpires, acknowledges the professionalism and sportsmanship displayed by all members of the club on game days.
JJ LISTON TROPHY LEADER BOARD
Stephen Clifton (North Ballarat) 20
Shane Valenti (Port Melbourne) 20
Ed Curnow (Box Hill Hawks) 13
David Swallow (GC SUNS) 12
Michael Stockdale (Casey Scorpions) 11
Maruc Margilani (Bendigo Bombers) 11
Matthew Little (Williamstown) 11
Corey Jones (North Ballarat) 10
Robbie Castello (Werribee) 10
Dom Gleeson (Werribee) 10
Brett Johnson (Williamstown) 10
2010 VFL TEAM OF THE YEAR
B: Michael Stockdale(Casey) Peter Faulks (Williamstown) Adam Iacobucci (Nth Bullants)
HB: Michael Hibberd (Frankston) Sam Pleming (Port Melbourne) Cameron Richardson (North Ballarat)
C: Ben Davies (Williamstown) Brett Johnson (Williamstown) Sam Power (Coburg)
HF: David Swallow (GC SUNS) Callum Sinclair (Port Melbourne) Stephen Clifton (North Ballarat)
F: Zac Smith (GC SUNS) Matthew Little (Williamstown) Shane Valenti (Port Melbourne)
R: Orren Stephenson (North Ballarat) Myles Sewell (North Ballarat) Ed Curnow(Box Hill)
Interchange: Russell Gabriel (Frankston) Dom Gleeson (Werribee) James Wall (Casey) Toby Pinwill (Port Melbourne) Jonathan Simpkin (Geelong) Ben Jolley (Williamstown)
Coach: Gerard Fitzgerald (North Ballarat)
