Jamie Newland named best and fairest for the under 17s Reds’ awards

The Hedland Reds Junior Football Club awards were held last week at Wanangkura Stadium with Jamie Newland named best and fairest for the under 17s and Jye Cook taking out the under 15s medal. Under 17s coach Craig Turner awarded Newland the medal ahead of Rowan Whitby and Nate Hogan took out the coaches award. Newland was also crowned best on ground in the grand final winning performance by the Reds. Jordan Colfer was named most improved after courageously coming back from a broken leg last year to kick three goals in the 2021 grand final. South Hedland Swans forward Sidney Eaton was presented with a medal after leading the junior league’s goal kicking with 41. The under 15s could not follow in the footsteps of the under 17s and went down by 20 points to the Karratha Kats in the grand final. Kurtis Jackson for the under 15s finished second to Cook in the best and fairest medal and William Glasson came third. Lucas Dobson took home the coaches award and player’s player medal while Brock Edwards was recognised as leading goal kicker for the side. Turner said the awards night was a celebration of an incredible season. “To have so many good footballers out of our 25-30 man squad week in, week out, as a coach it is probably one of the hardest years to pick an individual for an award,” he said. “Junior football in Hedland is really strong and I think there is probably 10 or so players from the under 17s that will move into senior football.” “I’m really proud of the boys who put life on hold and made a commitment to football as their number one priority. They made the sacrifices in life to play as a team. “In years I’ve come through the ranks with team sport, sometimes other things take priority like birthday parties or a younger child.” Turner said the town’s junior game was in a good space.