NPFL awards fairest and best
Dampier Sharks midfielder Lewis Upton has been crowned the best and fairest in the North Pilbara Football League after a gala vote-counting night in South Hedland on Friday.
NPFL players enjoyed a buffet dinner at the Finucane Island Sports Club to decide the winner of the Colin Matheson Medal and the De Grey Medal.
Upton was awarded the De Grey Medal for the second time in his career, with 18 votes for the season.
He said it was an honour to win his second De Grey Medal, especially as there were a lot of great players in the league right now.
Upton said he had come back from WA Country Week and games with the State team full of confidence going into the back end of the season.
“(The Sharks) set ourselves up for a big five weeks, and that started with the last two rounds, so finishing off the season well I think helped me in the final rounds there because it was pretty tight,” he said.
Upton said his plan for next year was to be in Perth, trying to play senior footy at WAFL level.
North Pilbara Football League president Greg Braithwaite said Upton was a great footballer who deserved to win the award.
“For the award to go down to the wire makes the competition so much stronger if every club and player can be the best they can be,” he said.
“Lewis has won this before, and he’s a great footballer, he just spent Country Week in Perth and performed very well for the Pilbara.”
Reserves player Chris Wynne of the Karratha Kats took out the Colin Matheson Medal with 18 votes.
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