Keitel caps off stellar season with Breckler Medal

Tyler Keitel capped off his stellar season winning the Breckler Medal on Saturday at the Club’s Fairest & Best Awards Night. Keitel won the award by two votes over defender Blake Wilhelm who had another consistent season on the half back line.

Keitel was challenged early in the pre-season by new coach Geoff Valentine around training standards and his leadership. Valentine implored the 23-year-old to work harder and get fitter to help take his game to a higher level. Keitel took on the feedback and relished his opportunity to evolve his game in 2019 and spend significant periods in the Ruck for the Falcons. Winning the Breckler created family history as Keitel was able to share his win in the presence of his Uncle, Ron Skender who won the same award in the 2002 season. Skender is also the Ruck coach at the Falcons and so it was a proud moment to see the work he had put into helping his nephew grow his game in 2019. Keitel also took out the Player’s Player Award. This is a significant award as it’s voted for by his team-mates.

The Club also celebrated the career of a champion in Andrew Strijk who has retired after 14 seasons and 245 Senior Games for the Club. Strijk bowed out as the Clubs leading goal kicker as well as another top 10 finish in the Fairest & Best count. Strijk will be remembered as one of the greats at not only West Perth but across the WAFL.

Other Award winners on the night included:

Breckler Medal – Tyler Keitel

Runner-up Fairest & Best – Blake Wilhlem

3^rd Place Fairest & Best (Ken Ashdown Award) – Aaron Black

Ray Scott Medal (Leading Goal Kicker) – Andrew Strijk

Wayne Dayman Medal (Most Courageous Player) – Laine Rasmussen

Rising Star Award – Noah Pegoraro

League Player’s Player Award – Tyler Keitel

Best Clubman – Kris Shannon

The Reserves who were still celebrating their triumphant premiership victory over Claremont bought a great energy to the night to celebrate the year’s achievements. Alec Johnson won the Ennis Medal for the Fairest & Best player ahead of the fast finishing Conal Lynch who had an outstanding finals campaign which saw him awarded the Merv McIntosh Medal for his best on ground performance in the Grand Final. Johnson joins fellow team-mates Conal Lynch & Dylan Yem to win both the Dominish Medal (Fairest & Best in the Colts) as well as the Ennis Medal in back to back seasons. The Award winners for the Reserves were as follows:

Ennis Medal – Alec Johnson

Runner-Up Fairest & Best – Conal Lynch

3^rd Place Fairest & Best – Nathan Murray

Reserves Player’s Player Award – Tom Boyes