Horsburgh, Wild claim top gongs for Violet Town as Kyabram District League club best-and-fairests are crowned
With the off-season in full swing, and pre-season around the corner, there’s no better time to reflect on the season gone by - and the accolades that come with it.
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In the latest best-and-fairest wrap, we take a look at the Kyabram District League’s top guns from all 13 clubs in the football and netball.
From the premiers to the wooden spooners and every team in between, each club has had its standout performer in 2025.
Avenel
Seniors: Jack Myers
A-Grade: Ashley Hansen-Arandt
The Swans suffered a fall from grace in 2025 after a fourth-placed finish last year, but on-baller Jack Myers did all he could to lift the red and white each week.
Myers took home the Avenel best-and-fairest with 39 votes, just one ahead of next best in a tight finish to the count.
Goalshooter Ashley Hansen-Arandt was a focal point for the Swans in a finals-clinching netball season.
Girgarre
Seniors: Billy Barnes
A-Grade: Allana Adams
Billy Barnes made an immediate impact on return to the club he formerly coached following stints in the Goulburn Valley and Murray Football League.
Barnes kicked 41 goals from 15 games, and was named in the KDL team of the year.
Allana Adams finished her netball season with a host of accolades, including the league best-and-fairest, and it was thus unsurprising to see Adams’ name called for Girgarre’s A-grade awards.
Adams was a stingy goal defence, booking a spot on the KDL Team of the Year as her Kangaroos made a second consecutive grand final, albeit this time without the silverware of 2024.
Lancaster
Seniors: Tom Davies
A-Grade: Jadeja Davies
It was a double-Davies affair at Lancaster’s best-and-fairest ceremony, with star midfielder Tom Davies and defensive general Jadeja Davies earning the Wombats’ top honours.
Neither the football or netball sides could quite reach the peak of the KDL mountain in 2025, but the pair of award winners did everything they could to bring the club within touching distance of silverware.
Longwood
Seniors: Jye Formosa
A-Grade: Ebony Kinnear
The first Houston medal was so nice, Jye Formosa had to do it thrice.
Formosa completed a Longwood best-and-fairest three-peat after honours in 2023 and 2024, with the hard-nosed onballer continuing to lead the Redlegs with his on-field displays.
Kinnear starred as goalkeeper for the Redlegs’ A-grade netball side despite its winless campaign, as while Longwood’s attack paled in comparison to its KDL rivals, the club only marginally conceded the most goals per game in 2025.
Merrigum
Seniors: Brayden Hall
A-Grade: Achol Padual
In a year of rebuilding and development for Merrigum, youngster Brayden Hall’s claim on the Stewart and Helen Mann Trophy highlights the promising talent coming through the Bulldogs’ pathway.
Likewise to Longwood’s Kinnear, goalkeeper Achol Padual was the driving force for Merrigum in defence, which lifted the Bulldogs to one spot outside finals despite the club averaging the second-fewest goals per game in 2025.
Murchison-Toolamba
Seniors: Ashton Cashion
A-Grade: Kelsey Gaskill and Tacita Lloyd
After securing a premiership medal around the neck, Grasshoppers star Ashton Cashion has pipped ahead against a raft of serious talent in the Murchison-Toolamba vote count.
Cashion beat the likes of Andrew Lloyd and James Milne (both tied for runner-up) to win the prestigious club award.
Kasey Gaskill and Tacita Lloyd tied for the A-grade best-and-fairest trophy, consolidating their status as green and gold greats.
Lloyd, like the footballing namesakes at the club, was a prolific scorer in goal attack, while Gaskill (née McDonald) was yet another goal defence to win the top netball award.
Nagambie
Seniors: Mark Nolan
A-Grade: Rylee Sanderson
Nagambie’s season had plenty of big moments on its way to a top four finish, and many of which were influenced by club stalwart Mark Nolan.
Nolan is as consistent a performer as it gets, and a reliable talent on the field, playing all 18 games possible in season 2025.
Rylee Sanderson’s sharpshooting has seen the gun goal scorer take out the A-grade trophy, as she steered the Lakers to the third-highest scoring average of any KDL side, as Nagambie bowed out in an elimination final.
Rushworth
Seniors: Liam Francis
A-Grade: Ashlyn Materne
He was a shock league best-and-fairest recipient, but Liam Francis’ name at the top of the Rushworth leaderboard was as unsurprising as it gets.
The fearless 21-year-old captain has been a huge part of the Tigers’ resurgence and despite his youth, played a season as consistent as the best veterans from the region to claim back-to-back Lambden trophies.
Interchangeable goalkeeper and goal defence Ashlyn Materne continues the trend of defenders earning awards after a stingy season in the opposition’s goal circle, which also saw her named in the starting goalkeeper position of the KDL netball team of the year.
Shepparton East
Seniors: Ryan Pffieffer
A-Grade: Lauren James
Skipper Ryan Pfieffer wins the Eagles’ best-and-fairest with 60 votes after featuring in the best 11 times from 15 senior games in 2025.
A potent threat across all lines, Pffiefer slotted 22 goals, including six games with multiple majors.
Lauren James earns her second best-and-fairest of the season after tying with Girgarre’s Allana Adams for the league medal.
A dominant goal defence, James steered her Eagles to an unbeaten season and premiership win.
Stanhope
Seniors: Stuart Trevena
A-Grade: Jinaya Nurse
Just two years ago, Jinaya Nurse was playing under-15s netball at Mooroopna.
Now, the teenage talent is an A-grade best-and-fairest at Stanhope.
The goal attack starred for the Lions all year long, but would only be able to celebrate her accolade with a lemonade as Nurse makes a claim as the youngest BnF winner this season.
The last person you want hunting you down on the football field is Stanhope’s Stuart Trevena, with the tough lionhearted defender’s consistency week in, week out earning him the Lions’ highest footballing honours.
Hard to beat in the air and on the ground, Trevena was the spirit of Stanhope’s backline.
Tallygaroopna
Seniors: Kyle Montgomery
A-Grade: Rebecca Brett
Kyle Montgomery’s name at the top of the Tallygaroopna leaderboard would not have surprised many Redlegs faithful after the 21-year-old midfielder was named in the best from 14 of a possible 16 games this season.
Goalkeeper Rebecca Brett secured the A-grade best-and-fairest at the Redlegs’ night of nights, as Tallygaroopna held the equal-sixth fewest conceded goals per game despite its ninth-placed finish.
Undera
Seniors: Jack Millar
A-Grade: Leanna Valentin
Undera’s Jack Millar hardly put a foot wrong for the Lions in 2025 and has scooped up the club’s best-and-fairest award ahead of KDL team of the year member Ethan Hart, who finished runner-up.
Leanna Valentin, who was named in the KDL netball team of the year’s rolling subs, shot up to claim the A-grade award for the maroon, gold and blue for a second year running.
Violet Town
Seniors: Patrick Horsburgh
A-Grade: Kolby Wild
The Towners’ tough as nails footballer Patrick Horsburgh has risen to take out the club’s 2025 best-and-fairest award despite playing just 10 senior games.
Horsburgh was named in the best eight times from his 10 appearances though, suggesting his standout performances each time he took the field were enough to see him home.
Additionally, Violet Town stalwart and A-grade gun Kolby Wild claimed back-to-back best-and-fairests for the top-flight netball side.