ENRIGHT, ABLETT SHARE 2009 CARJI GREEVES MEDAL
Justin Kremmer 9 October 2009

AFL GEELONG BEST AND FAIREST By Justin Kremmer GARY ABLETT AND COREY ENRIGHT have both been honoured for their standout seasons by sharing the 2009 Carji Greeves medal in a remarkable vote count finish that produced the first tie in the award’s history.

Geelong favourite Corey Enright was rewarded for consistency after withstanding a freakish surge of high votes from Brownlow medal winner Gary Ablett, who missed three matches yet polled in 21 of 22 of his games, to triumphantly finish equal winner, alongside Ablett, to claim his first Carji Greeves medal. Enright played in every one of the 25 games and polled in 23 of them, he also lead by one vote ahead of Ablett approaching the Grand Final against St Kilda. The results came right down to the wire, with Ablett polling 30 votes to Enright’s 29 in the last game. The pair remarkably each finished on 740 votes.

The award is Ablett’s second Carji Greeves medal after winning it in 2007 and narrowly falling short in 2008 where he finished runner-up. Other more recent dual Carji Greeves medallists include Joel Corey and Steven King. Sadly, Jimmy Bartel missed out again on winning his first Carji Greeves following a tremendous run of poor luck. Bartel, who polled 629 votes, finished third behind the joint winners, and has now finished third twice and runner-up twice. Joel Selwood finished fourth on 617 ahead of Norm Smith medallist Paul Chapman on 610, Matthew Scarlett on 585, Joel Corey on 546, Andrew Mackie on 443 and Cameron Ling on 411.

To the crowd’s delight, Mark Thompson had a little chuckle on stage at the Crown Palladium venue during the winners’ presentation realising what he hadn’t already worked out. He noticed the winners both had no hair! Despite very recently joining the ever-increasing group of bald players at the club, Enright happily accepted the award not feeling one bit shy about his new look. He told the audience how he’d come to the Mad Monday celebrations dressed as his idol Peter Garrett – the fact Enright battled to speak due to an awful chest infection perhaps indicated he had partied like a rockstar, too.

Enright’s season was considered solid by the All Australian selection committee, which had chosen him in the team for a second consecutive season. Enright is certainly not underrated by Geelong or its supporters yet funnily enough he’s still underrated by the competition, as voted by the players. Let’s hope he remains underrated as it doesn’t seem to harm the way he plays. Ablett won his first Carji Greeves medal in 2007, the same year the club, again, were premiers. Ablett tops off a remarkable season which has included a Brownlow medal, a third consecutive Leigh Matthews Trophy (Players’ Association MVP Award), a third consecutive Coaches’ Assocation MVP Award and Lou Richards medal. His achievements over the past three seasons have stamped him as one of the all-time greats, gaining more and more drive into the endless comparisons of him and his father.

In other awards for the evening Enright also received the coaches award, Tom Gillies was voted best first year player, Brad Ottens Best Clubman, Cameron Mooney leading goal kicker while Matthew Stokes received the Community Award. Coach Mark Thompson was awarded Geelong Life Membership as were the following players for reaching 150 games: Ablett, Bartel and David Wojcinski.