Sport
12 September, 2025
Stars shine at junior presentation night
The MCDFNL celebrated its best and brightest future stars last week at their Junior Presentation Night.
Held at the Maryborough Harness Racing Club on Wednesday, the event recognised the standout seasons of the league’s next generation in 2025.
Avoca’s Matthew Wardlaw and Lexton’s Charlize Kennedy took out the under 17.5 football and 17 and under netball best and fairest respectively following very successful seasons in junior and senior competitions.
Wardlaw finished with 27 votes, three votes ahead of Navarre key-forward Will Moloney on 24 votes, who ended as runner-up just ahead of Carisbrook’s Lochlan Llewellyn.
Matthew continues to build on the legacy of the Wardlaw name in Bulldog land with his most dominant season to date, named in the best players in all but one of his appearances for the U17.5 while also kicking 25 goals.
“It’s pretty good, it’s good to get recognised for a lot of hard work,” Wardlaw said.
“It’s been a lot of fun playing with my friends, I’ve enjoyed the year a lot.”
Following his senior debut at the end of the 2024 season, Wardlaw has solidified himself as a regular in the team with 13 appearances and looks poised to be an important building block for their rebuild.
Wardlaw said he’s grateful for the opportunity to challenge himself against tough opposition.
“I played most of the games in the seniors and I enjoyed it. It was good playing against men, they are all smart and big, it’s good playing against footballers better than me,” he said.
“I thank coach Byron Wynd and everyone else who has helped. Senior coach Matt Newton has helped a lot. They just give me little things that all help.
“Whenever someone is teaching me something at training, I always like to take notice and listen to everything someone has to teach.”
The 17 and U netball best and fairest was tightly contested between Kennedy and Avoca’s Emily Beavis, with Kennedy edging out Beavis by one vote to win the award with 31 votes. Beavis was forced to settle for runner-up, while the Maryborough Giants’ Kayley Walhouse finished in third with 27 votes.
After finishing sixth in the 17 and U goal-scoring charts last season, Kennedy has blossomed into one of the region’s most deadly young shooters, ending 2025 with a league-high 613 goals.
“I’m really grateful that I got the opportunity to play and get the award. I don’t think I would have done it without everyone here at Lexton,” Kennedy said.
“I want to thank my coaches and especially Joan Fisher, who has been here since my first season and has always helped me.
“Everyone here is so nice and so inviting, it’s just a really good environment to be in.”
What makes Kennedy’s rise even more remarkable is the fact she’s just completed only her second full season of netball after being rather hastily introduced to the sport in 2023.
“I played basketball for ages before I played netball and then I got asked to come (to Lexton) to fill in one day and I have played ever since,” she said.
“I really enjoyed my first game. I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I liked it and all the people were really sweet and inviting.
“The first quarter I played, I was goal keeper and I had no idea about the three-foot rule, so I was just standing right in front of the shooter. I got moved to goal shooter and I’ve played goals since then.”
Similar to Wardlaw, Kennedy has made a splash in the seniors this year after making her A grade debut versus Trentham in round six.
Alongside veterans Leesa Donhardt and Kristy Hadler, Kennedy played a key role in revitalising the Tigers’ offence with 209 goals on their way to a semi-final berth.
Kennedy said stepping up to A grade has been a tough yet rewarding challenge.
“A grade is definitely a lot faster paced,” she said.
“I learnt a lot at training and in games, all the other girls on the team helped me a lot and gave me a lot of tips.”
Navarre football standout Morgan Greenaway took out the U14.5 best and fairest award with 34 votes following a consistent season, with Carisbrook’s Billy Rumpff (31 votes) and Natte Bealiba’s Ollie Ross (26 votes) second and third respectively.
In the U11.5 football best and fairest, Carisbrook’s Jai Sheldon blew away the competition with an astounding 40 votes. Mitchell Vidler from Harcourt was Sheldon’s closest competitor, ending on 31 votes.
The Swans took home both football leading goal kicker awards, with William Jardine collecting U17.5 honours with 58 goals and Jed Cossar the U14.5 winner with 53.
Star defender Mia Smith continues to impress for the Maryborough Giants, adding the 15 and U netball best and fairest award to her resume after finishing on 40 votes. Runner-up was former 13 and U best and fairest Louella Roche from Talbot with 27 votes, followed by Dunolly’s Mia Schodde on 21 votes.
Newstead’s Scarlett Ramsey won the 13 and U best and fairest with a commanding 40 votes, nine votes ahead of Maldon rising star Elsa Curran on 31 votes. Navarre’s Sunday Kongor continues to impress in the junior ranks, finishing third with 29 votes.
Dunolly’s Kaylee Collins (31 votes) rounds out the award winners in a very tight 11 and U best and fairest vote count, besting the Giants Aaylah Egan by one vote, while third-placed Alyssa Corcoran ended on 27 votes.