Benbow’s Morrish magic drives out Butcher

By Jarrod Potter
ALEX Benbow became the second Dandenong Stingray to win the TAC Cup’s Morrish Medal, edging out Gippsland Power midfielder Danny Butcher by one vote.
Benbow, 18, from Beaconsfield, polled 22 votes to beat Butcher (21), who was equal second with Sandringham Dragons’ Alex Woodward (21), to become the first Stingray to win the prestigious award since Dean Watson in 1993.
The Stingray midfielder hit the lead after round 13, overtaking Woodward by polling two votes against the Oakleigh Chargers and stayed in front for the rest of the count.
Benbow polled votes in 14 of the 17 matches, with a pair of three-vote matches in round two against North Ballarat and round four against Oakleigh.
He said the win was surprising as he didn’t think he had much of a chance.
“I was a little bit overwhelmed,” Benbow said. “I didn’t expect it or give myself much of a chance.
“I thought I might get a couple of votes but didn’t think I would win it.
“When you look around the room and see the amount of talent there, to win the award is very humbling.”
Benbow said his best game for the year came against the Northern Knights in round six.
“I had 31 touches that day and felt like I played all right,” he said.
Under the Morrish Medal voting system, both field umpires allocate two votes a quarter to the two best players in that term, but a single player can only get a maximum of four votes a match.
“I’m really excited for him,” Stingrays coach Graeme Yeats said about Benbow’s win.
“It’s tremendous recognition for a great and consistent season.”
To cap off a successful night for the Stingrays, Yeats was named TAC Cup coach of the year while Benbow and Stingrays co-captain Matt Buntine were listed in the TAC Cup team of the year, on a half-forward flank and in a back pocket respectively.
For the Gippsland Power, Kooweerup backman Shaun Marusic won the TAC Cup coaches’ award with 28 votes, with Butcher taking a pair of second placings for the night, finishing one vote behind.
Gippsland’s Clay Smith, Shaun Wyatt and Sam Docherty were also listed in the TAC Cup team of the year.