When you enjoy yourself, you play your best footy — case in point: Braydon Avola.
The 24-year-old Avenel midfielder took home the McNamara Medal after a sumptuous season in red and white, labelling it the most fun he’s had in a Swans guernsey since joining the club five years ago.
Avola finished Thursday night’s Kyabram District League presentation night on 20 votes in the best-and-fairest count, one below the ineligible winner in Longwood’s Jye Formosa.
Avenel’s midfield rocket credited the unlucky Redleg after talking about the feeling of bringing the medal back to the Strathbogie Shire.
“We obviously didn’t make finals this year but that being said, it’s probably been the funnest year I’ve had at the footy club, just with the new boys coming down,” he said.
“It’s pretty surreal actually (to win) — I’m very happy, a bit surprised but overall I’m very happy.
“It’s a bit bittersweet, too. Jye had a fantastic year, he should be very proud of himself.
“Unfortunately he got rubbed out, but still (he’s) a great player.”
Avola lost by a single vote in the 2022 McNamara Medal count, and history almost repeated in this year’s edition.
He sat fourth after six rounds with eight votes — two behind the early favourite, Lancaster player-coach Tom Davies — but made some ground back by round 12.
Avola was one vote adrift of Davies and Formosa but collected two votes in round 14 and a full three for his performance a week later, his strong end to the season all but handing him the top prize,
“I thought I started the year off pretty well then maybe lost a bit of form and copped an injury halfway through the year and thought I was a bit slumped,” Avola said.
“But I guess in the back end of the season I was able to find a second wind and found my feet again with a bit of form.”
Avola is the first Swan to win the McNamara Medal since Kasey Duncan in 2017.
It was Duncan, Avenel’s former coach, who coaxed Avola across from Northern Football Netball League outfit Whittlesea in 2018, and he’s never looked back.
“I was good friends with Kasey Duncan and he got me down there,” Avola said.
“As soon as I walked in the door the whole footy club made not only me but my whole family feel very welcome, so that’s the reason why I’ve stuck around so long.
“Avenel is obviously a small country town, but I guess footy and netball, that’s their thing, that’s all they have.
“We lost a lot of quality players last year but that being said, we brought in a lot of quality players. But they’re very good people too, that’s the reason I stay there.”