Sleek midfielder Luke Shuey tonight joined a select group of West Coast Eagles stars when he became a multiple winner of the John Worsfold Medal.
Shuey was crowned Club Champion for the second time in four seasons when adjudged the 2019 fairest and best, ahead of fellow midfielder Elliot Yeo.
Shuey, who also won the award in 2016, joins fellow luminaries like Glen Jakovich, Guy McKenna, Chris Judd, Ben Cousins, Darren Glass and Yeo to have won the award at least two times.
He was rewarded for a stand-out season in which he shared the player-of-the-finals mantle with Andrew Gaff. Shuey polled 258 votes to edge out Yeo (239), who was looking for a hat-trick of triumphs in the award, underlining his remarkable consistency in that time.
Third was dependable defender Brad Sheppard (234 votes), who enjoyed a stellar season and again highlighted his capacity to play on opponents of varying sizes and enhanced his reputation as both a lock-down and rebounding defender.
In fourth place was Gaff (231), another super consistent contributor who won the award in the grand final year of 2015 and was again a driving force through the midfield.
In fifth position was first-time all-Australian Jack Darling (199), who was also the club’s leading goal-kicker for the third time in his career. Illustrating that the all-Australian selectors were on the mark with their nominations, Jeremy McGovern was in sixth place, meaning that all of those players on the upper reaches of the leaderboard were included in the 40-man squad.
In addition, captain Shannon Hurn (ninth) made the squad and four of those players – Yeo, Darling, McGovern and Hurn – received all-Australian blazers after being selected in the final 22.
The emerging player award was won by versatile big man Oscar Allen.
The revered Chris Mainwaring Medal as best clubman was won by retiring big man Fraser McInnes, who was captain of the WAFL Eagles and led that team to a finals campaign in its inaugural year in the competition.
Fairest and best for the WAFL Eagles went to ruckman Keegan Brooksby.
Headlining an impressive list of life members is inaugural chairman Richard Colless, who later became a key figure at the Sydney Swans for more than 20 years, while former players Chad Morrison and Mark Nicoski were also recognised for their outstanding service, along with influential directors in the formative years – Robert Armstrong and Mark Hohnen.
John Worsfold Medal - Top 10
1. Luke Shuey 258
2. Elliot Yeo 239
3. Brad Sheppard 234
4. Andrew Gaff 231
5. Jack Darling 199
6. Jeremy McGovern 198
7. Liam Ryan 190
8. Dom Sheed 182
9. Shannon Hurn 177
10. Jack Redden 164
Emerging Talent
Oscar Allen
Players/s of the finals
Luke Shuey/Andrew Gaff
Chris Mainwaring Medal (Best Clubman)
Fraser McInnes
WAFL fairest and best
Keegan Brooksby
Life members
Chad Morrison, Mark Nicoski, Richard Colless, Robert Armstrong, Mark Hohnen
