Ando’s Noble honour

By Paul Pickering
NOBLE Park midfielder Craig Anderson capped another brilliant year at the Bullring by winning his first club best-and-fairest award on Saturday night.
The honour came less than 24 hours after Anderson had finished second to Vermont’s Kris Bardon in the Eastern Football League Division One best-and-fairest count – which he won in 2007.
Anderson, 29, finished ahead of on-ball sidekick – and 2006 winner – Peter O’Brien and damaging utility Stewart Kemperman.
O’Brien, who sat out the finals series with a knee injury, led the count at the end of the home-and-away rounds, but was overhauled by the fast-finishing Anderson.
Outgoing Bulls coach Kris Barlow pipped Anderson for Noble’s top gong in 2007, but he was more than happy to hand the title over.
“He was definitely a deserved winner,” Barlow said, noting that Anderson had been a dream to coach.
“The top five guys in the best-and-fairest were the five guys who worked the hardest on the track and really immersed themselves in the club, and (Anderson) was no exception.
“He had a fantastic season.”
Anderson’s relentless running and dogged attack on the football make him the ultimate inside-outside player, so it’s not hard to see why Collingwood gave him an opportunity via the AFL Rookie Draft in 1998.
The league best-and-fairest title made Anderson a logical target for taggers this season, so Barlow reckons he will benefit from the arrival of ex-AFL star Heath Black in 2009.
“(Black) is going to be a super player in this competition and he’ll make it easier for other blokes as well,” Barlow said.
“Because who do you tag, Black or Anderson? And then maybe O’Brien or (Daniel) Norman get under you guard.”
Norman won the best team man award on Saturday night, while Dean Kelly (best first-year player), Lloyd Williams (most improved), Nick Williams (most determined), Daniel Rigg (best clubman) and Kemperman (most consistent) were also recognised.
Robbie Kemperman won the reserves best-and-fairest, while Darryn Young took out the Colts award.