Blyth-Snowtown midfielder wins Mail Medal
Blyth-Snowtown's Caleb Lloyd has capped off a stunning year by taking home the 2019 North Eastern Football League Mail Medal.
The classy on-baller polled an impressive 26 votes at the medal count, held at O'Leary Walker Winery and hosted by North Clare on Monday night.
Lloyd finished 10 votes ahead of the runner's-up, in what was an extraordinary four-way tie.
R.S.M.U ruckman Justin Schahinger, runner-up in the 2018 count, again finished in second place.
He was joined by veteran Mintaro-Manoora midfielder Bill Sandow, South Clare backman Matt Allen and B.S.R's rising star Matt Longbottom.
The quartet polled 16 votes.
Southern Saints winger Jack Wilkins and Demon Daniel Minney, in his first year back at the club, were two points shy of making it a six-way tie for second place.
Despite a slow start to the count, and having points taken off him by reigning Mail Medalist Gareth Ottens, Lloyd stormed home to win the honour.
At the end of round 8, Lloyd led the count with 12 votes.
B.S.R ruckman and 2016 Mail Medalist Sam Heinjus was not far behind on nine points, followed by R.S.M.U's Zac Hier, Southern Saints tall Luke Wells and Ottens.
Not in attendance due to work commitments, Ottens collected the medal on Lloyd's behalf.
This was Lloyd's second year back at his boyhood club following a stint in Adelaide with Woodville-West Torrens.
Lloyd added to his haul, named Gameday Footballer of the Year and in the midfield in the NEFL Team of the Year.
Rooster Nick Prokopec was named leading goal kicker in the A Grade with 64 goals, while B.B.H's Stephen Tohl was leading goalkicker in the B Grade with 49.
North's Scott Kuerschner was named B Grade best and fairest with 13 votes, with B.B.H's Tom Riggs and South Clare's Blake Day joint runner's-up.
First year Demons coach Scott Brand was named Coach of the Year, while NEFL president Peter Meyer was awarded life membership.
Andrew Mitchell was named Umpire of the Year.