SANDOVER MEDAL PREVIEW

WEST Perth's premiership drought of 10 years ended in 2013 and now the run of not having a Sandover Medal that has lasted since 1993 could come to an end this Monday night with Shane Nelson, Aaron Black and Rohan Kerr all likely to poll well.

West Perth's last Sandover Medal winner was Neil Mildenhall in 1993 just 12 months after Robbie West also won the award, but the Falcons haven’t had a winner since and have at least three players in contention this Monday night.

The 2011 Sandover Medal winner Luke Blackwell and last year's winner Rory O'Brien appear to be two players in the running to take out the award as the WAFL's fairest and best player for the second time, but there isn't a shortage of players that they will be contending with on the night.

The Sandover Medal count for 2014 will be held this Monday night in the Grand Ball Room at Crown Perth with the event broadcast live on radio via 91.3 SportFM from 6.30pm while it will be live streamed at www.thewest.com.au from 8.30pm.

While Blackwell and O'Brien are a chance to be dual winners, three midfielders fresh out of the AFL system in the form of South Fremantle's Haiden Schloithe, Subiaco's Kyal Horsley and East Fremantle's Bradd Dalziell are expected to be right in the running.

South Fremantle's Ashton Hams is another in his first year out of the AFL expected to poll well but he's ineligible after receiving a reprimand for an indiscretion during the season.

West Perth's prolific ball winning trio Shane Nelson, Aaron Black and Rohan Kerr, Swan Districts' pair Ryan Davis and Blaine Boekhorst, and East Perth trio Craig Wulff, Steven Payne and Brendan Lee are others who could poll well.

West Perth's Nelson was the league's best ball winner averaging 31.1 disposals a game. His low came in Round 5 against South Fremantle but aside from that he never had fewer than 21 possessions a game.

The 21-year-old had 30 or more possessions on 13 occasions including 52 in Round 23, 44 in Round 19, 38 in Round 2, 37 in Round 1 and Round 14.

As an in and under midfielder he was always in the sight of the umpires and after starring in last year's premiership with the Falcons, he took his game to another level again in 2014 and should poll strongly as a result.

Another West Perth player who was a key in the premiership year and improved further in 2014 was Black.

He became an even more prolific ball winner with the 21-year-old averaging 30.3 disposals a game and never having a game few than his 22 touches in Round 18.

He also had 30 or more touches on eight occasions including 44 in Round 19, 39 in Round 23, 36 in Round 22 and 35 in Round 15.

His hard-running saw him endlessly find space throughout the year with him taking an impressive 143 marks while his skill level also took another step forward throughout 2014. He has already proven he is a vote winner in Sandover Medals and could very well be right up there again.

While he will have to battle with Nelson and Black for votes, Kerr is another West Perth player who was a massive ball winner in 2014.

Backing up his first season with West Perth which saw him star in the grand final with five goals, Kerr had an outstanding 2014 averaging 25.9 possessions a game while also taking 146 marks and kicking 10 goals.

While the amount of ball he won was impressive, it is his precise use of the ball by foot that makes him a standout and could see him poll strongly.

LEADING SANDOVER MEDAL CONTENDERS

LUKE BLACKWELL (Claremont)

19 games, 557 possessions, 3 goals, 69 marks, 64 tackles
Certain votes in: 7 matches (Rounds 2, 6, 15, 17, 18, 21, 22)
Possible votes in: 8 matches (Rounds 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 20, 23)
Games missed: 1
Votes in 2013: 22 

BRADD DALZIELL (East Fremantle)
18 games, 492 possessions, 22 goals, 102 marks, 56 tackles
Certain votes in: 6 matches (Rounds 1, 4, 9, 12, 15, 22)
Possible votes in: 5 matches (Rounds 5, 7, 16, 17, 18)
Games missed: 2
Votes in 2013: 20

RORY O'BRIEN (East Fremantle)
20 games, 586 possessions, 9 goals, 108 marks, 76 tackles, 49 free kicks
Certain votes in: 3 matches (Rounds 12, 15, 22)
Possible votes in: 6 matches (Rounds 1, 5, 13, 17, 18, 20)
Games missed: 0
Votes in 2013: 55 (Winner)

STEVEN PAYNE (East Perth)
20 games, 501 possessions, 12 goals, 110 marks, 41 tackles
Certain votes in: 4 matches (Rounds 1, 8, 10, 21)
Possible votes in: 7 matches (Rounds 2, 7, 11, 12, 15, 18, 22)
Games missed: 0
Votes in 2013: 0

CRAIG WULFF (East Perth)
18 games, 454 possessions, 17 goals, 90 marks, 45 tackles
Certain votes in: 3 matches (Rounds 3, 16, 22)
Possible votes in: 7 matches (Rounds 1, 8, 12, 15, 18, 20, 21)
Games missed: 2
Votes in 2013: 21

HAIDEN SCHLOITHE (South Fremantle)
20 games, 473 possessions, 25 goals, 86 marks, 66 tackles, 86 free kicks
Certain votes in: 4 matches (Rounds 4, 5, 6, 22)
Possible votes in: 4 matches (Rounds 12, 16, 21, 23)
Games missed: 0
Votes in 2013: 12

KYAL HORSLEY (Subiaco)
17 games, 454 possessions, 14 goals, 89 tackles
Certain votes in: 6 matches (Rounds 12, 14, 17, 18, 19, 23)
Possible votes in: 7 matches (Rounds 4, 8, 9, 11, 13, 16, 22)
Games missed: 3
Votes in 2013: Not in WAFL

BLAINE BOEKHORST (Swan Districts)
19 games, 396 possessions, 8 goals, 83 marks
Certain votes in: 2 matches (Rounds 8, 10)
Possible votes in: 6 matches (Rounds 1, 3, 5, 12, 13, 21)
Games missed: 1
Votes in 2013: 0

RYAN DAVIS (Swan Districts)
20 games, 370 possessions, 34 goals, 90 marks, 63 tackles
Certain votes in: 4 matches (Rounds 3, 5, 8, 15)
Possible votes in: 4 matches (Rounds 4, 11, 13, 21)
Games missed: 0
Votes in 2013: 9

AARON BLACK (West Perth)
20 games, 605 possessions, 9 goals, 143 marks
Certain votes in: 5 matches (Rounds 9, 11, 19, 21, 23)
Possible votes in: 9 matches (Rounds 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 20, 22)
Games missed: 0
Votes in 2013: 30

ROHAN KERR (West Perth)
20 games, 517 possessions, 10 goals, 146 marks
Certain votes in: 1 match (Rounds 11)
Possible votes in: 4 matches (Rounds 4, 14, 19, 23)
Games missed: 0
Votes in 2013: 13

SHANE NELSON (West Perth)
20 games, 622 possessions, 6 goals, 78 marks, 66 tackles, 41 hit outs
Certain votes in: 4 matches (Rounds 8, 14, 19, 23)
Possible votes in: 6 matches (Rounds 1, 2, 3, 6, 11, 12)
Games missed: 0
Votes in 2013: 20