BROCK-BURRUM speedster Nico Sedgwick last night took out the Hume league’s Azzi medal.
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He polled 24 votes to finish two clear of his coach Luke Brauer.
Nothing separated the two Saints after round 19 before Sedgwick polled two votes in the final round for a thrilling win.
Last year’s winner Peter Hancock was third on 19 while Murray Magpies Alex Jones and Jesse Johnston tied for fourth on 17.
Henty’s pre-count favourite Sam Murray failed to poll as well as expected, finishing just outside the top 10, on 12 votes.
After failing to poll in the first six rounds, Sedgwick enjoyed an outstanding finish to the season to earn votes in 11 of the Saints’ last 13 matches.
The slick Saint was only judged best on ground three times but picked up seven twos.
Sedgwick, 21, joined Brock-Burrum this season from Lavington after two injury-riddled seasons with the Panthers.
He played seven matches — only one last season — after battling a shoulder complaint.
The talented midfielder made his senior debut for the Panthers in 2010 when he played one senior match after some solid form in the thirds.
He cemented his spot in the seniors the following season to play 17 matches and won the O and M’s Rising Star award before injury struck.
Sedgwick was surprised to win and thought Lockhart’s WAW Player of the Year Zac Sheather (shared with Murray) was the player to beat before the count.
“I wasn’t expecting much at all, I haven’t played for the past two years and had a shoulder reconstruction last year, so I didn’t know how it would go,” he said.
“The first half of the year I had no confidence in my shoulder because at Lavington it used to pop out all the time. But once I got my confidence back and moved into the middle it was good, and it was pretty easy playing alongside blokes like Lukey (Brauer) and Schilgy (Luke Schilg).”
It is not the first time the Saints have dominated the league’s top honour.
Trent Storey, Schilg and Brett Guest completed a rare trifecta in 2010.
Sedgwick, who wasn’t going to play before his mates Ron Boulton and Kallam Oates got into his ear, said the win was a consolation after Brock-Burrum’s premiership defence was ended by Howlong on Sunday — and he had more good news for Saints supporters.
“I’m stoked, I played with Brauey at Lavi and they got me out.
“I’d much rather play next week, it’s great to win this to top off the season, but to go out how we did in such bad form was disappointing.
“I’m definitely staying here, it’s a great club and I’m not a footy head like a lot of people in the O and M, I like to train twice a week and have a couple of beers.”
Jindera ruckman Sam Dewar was successful in the reserves with Culcairn teenager Nicholas Cooke triumphant in the thirds and Holbrook’s Will Holmes winning the fourths.
Osborne’s Sophie Howard and Jindera’s Kristy Hilton shared the A grade netball award.
