By Mark Heenan
The curtain closed on Ocean Grove Football Netball Club’s 2017 season at the senior presentation night on Friday 15 September.
Up to 130 people attended including senior footballers, senior netballers, committee, coaching personnel, sponsors, supporters and family members, at the Shell Road sports pavilion.
Ocean Grove Football Club senior coach Paul Lynch implored the elite netball and football teams to work hard in the off-season and boost playing stocks in recruiting.
Earlier this month the Grubbers signed experienced key position player Justin Carey from GFL club St Albans for the 2018 season.
Ocean Grove’s premier division netball grade and senior football team made finals in 2017 but both sides suffered early exits with their BFL elimination final loss on 20 August.
“I feel our window is really widely open and they talk on a premiership clock where our clock is and I reckon we are sitting at about 11 o’clock,” Lynch said in his speech.
“I reckon our window is really open and that goes for netball as well.
“I have been involved in a football club where we have won the A Grade netball and A Grade football premiership in one year and I honestly believe there is no reason why that can’t happen next year.”
Grubber gun on-baller James Linton was awarded with his second Damian Clark Medal.
In 2016 Linton won the coveted medal honour in his debut season with the Grubbers.
Damian Clark is an eight-time senior premiership player with Ocean Grove.
“I am very honoured,” Linton told the Voice.
Ocean Grove senior netball coach Elyse Howard won the premier division top award.
Five netball grades including under-19 netball side and four other senior teams in addition to reserves and senior football teams were presented with awards.
Michaela Giblin took out the under-19 netball honour, while Ali Gannon was named runner-up and Sarah Bastiaan collected the coaches award.
Club great Dennis White was named prestigious recipient of Frank Hose Award for his generous volunteer work in 2017.
White’s involvement has spanned more than 40 years with the Grubbers as a player, reserves coach, junior premiership coach and former committee member.
He was awarded with life-membership at the Ocean Grove Football Netball Club in 2015.
Local business The Driftwood Cafe organised catering on the night.
OCEAN GROVE FOOTBALL NETBALL CLUB 2017 AWARD WINNERS
Under 19 Netball
Best-and-fairest – Michaela Giblin
Runner-up – Ali Gannon
Coaches award – Sarah Bastiaan
Division 3 Netball
Best-and-fairest – Kylie Collett
Runner-up – Jessie Sutton
Coaches award – Maddy Goodger
Division 2 Netball
Best-and-fairest – Eliza Jane Clarke
Runner-up – Emma Walker
Coaches award – Kellie Morrish
Division 1 Netball
Best-and-fairest – Claudia Britt
Runner-up – Shelby Hackett
Coaches award – Alyse O’Keefe
Premier Division Netball
Best-and-fairest – Elyse Howard
Runner-up – Lucy Vercher
Coaches award – Olivia Hobbs
Umpires award – Erin Mercer
Senior aggregate winner – Kylie Collett
Reserves grade football
Best-and-fairest – Adam Gerdtz
Runner-up – Ryan Baker
Coaches award – Reid Baker-Hutchinson
Most determined – Ned Thorley
Seniors football
Best-and-fairest – James Linton
Runner-up – Brent Macleod
Most team-orientated player – Andrew Jarvis
Most consistent – Kaiden Long
Frank Hose award recipient – Dennis White
