The Wellman Family Medal count had a familiar name at the top rung when the last round of votes were called out.

And going off the numbers, Shepparton’s Kim Borger continues to set a new bar for herself, even as she looks ahead to life after playing.

It was back-to-back brilliance from the Bears’ playing coach, who etched her name into Goulburn Valley League netball folklore on Monday evening with back-to-back Wellman Medals.

Borger became the fifth player in the competition to become a multiple medal winner, and with 37 votes, the Bears’ goaler beat her 2024 effort by seven.

She was best-on-court on 10 occasions as she guided Shepparton to an undefeated record, and the first-year coach was full of praise for her club and her teammates.

“Being a player-coach can be difficult, but they make it so easy,” Borger said.

“I’m phasing out of playing and going into the coaching side of things, so I had some huge shoes to fill.

“My club, my second home, I’m very fortunate to have such support.

“I’m so fortunate with the team I’ve got, the girls are phenomenal.

“They support me with all of my decisions and everything I’m doing; they never give me any grief and they work so hard.

“They’re like an extended family.”

Borger, who also scooped the league MVP award, led by four votes at the halfway point of the count, but extended that to nine at its conclusion.

Euroa centre Hollie Reid capped off an excellent campaign as runner-up with 28 votes, while teammate and goal-scoring maestro Olivia Morris, who ticked over the 1000-goal mark in the weekend’s preliminary final win over Seymour, rounded out the top three with 26 votes.

Those three players will battle it out in the GVL A-grade grand final on Sunday, but took a moment at the GVL presentation night to reflect on the battles that have shaped the season.

“Finals is a completely different game,” Borger said.

“We’re not taking it lightly; we were just chatting with Liv (Morris) and Hollie (Reid) and we really enjoy the matches and the battles we have against Euroa.

“We’re really looking forward to it.”

Throughout the grades, Seymour’s Toni Bootland topped the Sandra Cox B-grade medal count with 30 votes, leading teammate Andrea McKenzie (23 votes) and Benalla’s Claire Marriott (21) to the finish line.

Seymour’s Ruby Trimble took out the Gaye Eaton B-reserve gong with 21 votes to make it a Seymour double.

In the junior grades, two sisters won their respective league best-and-fairest’s in a special occasion for the Shepparton Bears.

Lily Byers finished the Carol Ryan Rising Star 17-and-under count with 33 votes, making it three years in a row a Shepparton netballer has taken out the award.

Rochester’s Marli Cottam and Echuca’s Kate Head finished joint runners-up on 26 votes.

Not to be outdone, Shepparton’s Scarlet Byers tied with Mooroopna’s Layla Ratcliffe in the Jacqui Hudgson 15-and-under medal on 32 votes.

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Wednesday, 12th October 2022

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