Nobody could keep up with the Jones

Tamworth Swans midfielder Josh Jones won the 2022 Tony Gillies Medal. Photo: Brad Greenshields

TAMWORTH Swans midfielder Josh Jones was a runaway winner of the 2022 Tony Gillies Medal.

In the first eight rounds of the season, Jones was awarded 20 votes by the umpires including six best-on-grounds to build a 10 vote lead over Hayden Chappel from Inverell.

It was a gap that no player came close to narrowing.

By the count’s end, Chappel had maintained his place at second position on the leader board.

His Inverell teammate Rhyley Thom had polled 12 votes to finish ahead of Jones’ teammate Adam Cruickshank and Nathan Vaisey from the Tamworth Kangaroos. A further vote back was another Kangaroo in Ben Mitchell.

Inverell spearhead Angus Croft finished in a tie for 10th in the Gillies Medal count but earned himself the Gerry Griffiths Medal as the competition’s leading goal kicker.

It was another Swans player in Jake Cosgrove who was named as the Rising Star winner.

To make it a big night for Jones, he was also announced as the winner of the Coaches Award.

The win by Jones made it a double for the Tamworth Swans after Eliza Hand won the Women’s Best & Fairest the night before.

FINAL LEADER BOARD

25 – Josh Jones (Tamworth Swans)

14 – Hayden Chappel (Inverell)

12 – Rhyley Thom (Inverell)**

10 – Nathan Vaisey (Tamworth Kangaroos)

10 – Adam Cruickshank (Tamworth Swans)

9 – Ben Mitchell (Tamworth Kangaroos)

8 – Clarence Barker (New England Nomads)

8 – Jordan Sue-Fong (Inverell)

8 – Bill Tydd (Tamworth Kangaroos)

7 – Jack Richards (Tamworth Swans)

7 – Angus Croft (Inverell)

OTHER 2022 AWARD WINNERS

Gerry Griffiths Medal – Leading goal kicker: Angus Croft – 48 goals (Inverell)

Rising Star: Jake Cosgrove (Tamworth Swans)

Coaches Award: Josh Jones (Tamworth Swans)

** denotes ineligible