Matt Hanson has made history becoming the first Werribee player to win four Bruce Montgomery Trophy best and fairest awards. 

Hanson’s triumph was announced via a virtual awards presentation on Thursday night after he polled 44 votes to claim Werribee’s top honour for 2021. 

Hanson was tied alongside Travis Robertson who has three Werribee best and fairest awards, but now stands alone at the top of the list for the club’s most prestigious honour.  

This year’s runner-up was Shaun Mannagh who polled 36 votes in his first season with the club.  

The classy forward-mid was two votes clear of third place finisher Jack Henderson (34) with tall forward Hudson Garoni (32) and veteran ruckman Matt Lobbe (31) rounding out the top five.  

Hanson’s previous Bruce Montogomery Trophy wins came in consecutive years, from 2015-2017.   

Injury limited him to just five games in 2018 and 14 in 2019, but the 26 year-old was fully fit and back to his best in 2021 playing all nine matches during this year’s COVID-affected season. 

He averaged a career high 28.6 disposals per game, along with 4.6 marks and 5.1 tackles while leading the team in clearances (62) and inside 50s (54).  

He said it was a huge privilege to be awarded a fourth Bruce Montgomery Trophy.  

“It’s a massive honour, this one might have a little asterisk beside it being only nine games but yeah it’s incredible to win this award again,” he said.  

“I thought I was pretty consistent with my form, there’s obviously a lot of help going around in that midfield with some handy players there like (Tom) Gribble, Lobba (Lobbe) and Brewy (Dom Brew).“

“Those guys always contribute well and it’s always good to get feed work off Lobba and a few handballs off Gribble and Brewy, it all helps having those guys there.” 

“I’m very lucky to be at this club, it’s a very loyal club and I’m just thankful for all the support they’ve provided not only to me, but all the players and staff.” 

For Hanson, adding to the excitement of another Bruce Montogomery Trophy win is a personal milestone as he and partner Kat are set to welcome their first child in the coming weeks.  

Bruce Montogomery Trophy
Final Leaderboard

1.     Matt Hanson               44 votes
2.    Shaun Mannagh        36 votes
3.    Jack Henderson         34 votes
4.    Hudson Garoni           32 votes
5.    Matt Lobbe                  31 votes
6.    Tom Gribble                30 votes
7.    Michael Sodomaco   28 votes
       Max Spencer               28 votes
9.   Bior Malual                   27 votes
10.  Dom Brew                    26 votes
      Jesse Clark                  26 votes
12.  Nick Coughlan            24 votes
      Nathan Cooper          24 votes

Shaun Mannagh

After missing this year’s opening round clash against Collingwood, 2021 Bruce Montogomery Trophy runner-up Shaun Mannagh took little time to announce himself as a Werribee player.  

After signing with the club for 2020 and waiting more than a year to pull on the Big W, Mannagh was the club’s best player in his round 2 debut gathering 25 disposals against Williamstown.  

Over the remaining seven games of 2021 the 24 year-old collected 20 or more disposals on three occasions while kicking multiple goals in five outings to end the campaign with 15 majors. 

Mannagh also received this year’s Trainers and Property awards voted on by the medical training staff and the club’s property volunteers respectively.  

Several other players claimed multiple honours including Jack Henderson, who along with his best ever finish (3rd) in a Werribee best and fairest count, collected the 2021 Coaches Award.  

Midfield hard-nut Dom Brew added another Most Courageous Player Award and was also voted the Players’ Player for this season.  

Max Spencer who will depart the club and return home to Queensland this offseason was named the Best Defensive Player, with fellow defender Jesse Clark awarded Best First Year Player honours after an impressive debut season. 

Rising forward Hudson Garoni was named the Most Improved Player after announcing himself as one of the competition’s most promising key position prospects.

Additionally, captain Michael Sodomaco received Werribee Life Membership after notching his 100^th game for the club in early 2021. 

Sodomaco who has been at the club since 2011 reached triple figures in round 3 with the team enjoying an 81-point victory over Richmond.  

Club Chaplin Andrew Seedhom was the recipient of the Ray Smith Club Person Award for his volunteer contributions with the team.

2021 Award Winners

Property Award: Shaun Mannagh
Trainers Award: Shaun Mannagh
Community Award: Ryan Pendlebury:
Ray Smith Club Person: Andrew Seedhom
Local Player Award: Matt Brett (Darley)
Best First Year Player: Jesse Clark
Most Improved: Hudson Garoni
Most Courageous: Dom Brew
Players’ Player: Dom Brew
Leading Goal Kicker: Wylie Buzza (20 goals)
Best Defensive Player: Max Spencer
Life Membership: Michael Sodomaco

Live from 7pm on Thursday 21 October. Tune in as we celebrate the 2021 season and honour all our major award recipients as well as crown this year's Bruce Montgomery Trophy winner.

Matt Lobbe and Matt Hanson have been recognised for outstanding seasons with selection in the VFL Team of the Year.  

Lobbe was named the side’s starting ruckman after tallying the most hit-outs and hit-outs to advantage while also ranking amongst the best at his position for tackles and clearances.  

Midfielder Hanson was named on the interchange after racking up 29 disposals per game while driving the ball inside 50 more times than all but two other players.   

Lobbe, in his first season at Avalon Airport Oval after a 100-game AFL career logged 305 hit-outs across Werribee’s nine matches.  

The 32 year-old averaged 14 disposals and four marks per outing while his 4.9 tackles and 4.4 clearances a game ranked third and fourth for ruckman. 

One player to benefit from Lobbe’s presence in the centre was Hanson who either led Werribee in disposals or finished with the second most possessions in every game this season.

Hanson’s average of 28.6 disposals was the 12^th best mark amongst players with nine or more appearances.

He ranked tenth for total clearances (62) and third for inside 50s (54). 

It is the fourth time Hanson, 26, has earned Team of the Year honours with his first three selections to the team coming in consecutive seasons from 2015-17.  

Hanson’s three previous Team of the Year appearances have coincided with him winning the Bruce Montgomery Trophy, Werribee’s best and fairest. 

The club’s award winners for 2021 will be announced later this month.  

Werribee chief executive officer Mark Penaluna has been awarded Life Membership of the VFL. 

Penaluna received the honour for ‘special service to the VFL or to football in general’ during the competition’s 2021 Awards Ceremony on Thursday night.  

A renowned football administrator for over 25 years, Penaluna’s time in the VFL landscape began in October 2003 when he took on the General Manager position at the Werribee Football Club. 

He is currently the longest-serving CEO of a VFL club, and even after the events of the past 18 months, the man affectionately known as Pena, continues to work tirelessly to ensure the sustained success of his 57-year-old club, while continuing to advocate for the VFL and Australian Rules football. 

Penaluna has compiled a significant list of achievements in his 18 years of administration at VFL level. 

His most recent feat was playing an instrumental role in securing $975,000 in funding for VFL clubs this year, to assist with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Other milestones under Penaluna’s leadership include Werribee being the first VFL club to employ a full-time Community Development Officer, a role which promotes AFL to thousands across the Wyndham community every year. 

Additionally, he was one of the driving forces behind the $11.75 million Avalon Airport Oval redevelopment which transformed the venue from a small, outdated facility to one of best amongst state-level sporting clubs.  

The ground has since hosted an AFLW match, an AFL pre-season match and the 2021 NAB League Girls Grand Final.  

Penaluna has also fostered a stronger relationship with the Western Regional Football League with Avalon Airport Oval becoming the unofficial home of local football finals in the west. 

Werribee president Martin Carter said the Penaluna’s life membership with the league was much deserved.

“Mark’s longevity in the VFL and at Werribee FC particularly for 18 years is testament to his character, loyalty persistence, respect, honesty and commitment to the cause,” he said.

“Mark is a hands-on administrator that has done everything from CEO down to umpire’s escort, there’s nothing he hasn’t done to make sure that Werribee FC was and is in a better place.

“Often the catalyst for liaison with a myriad of stakeholders, from the AFL, VFL and Football Vic to local government he typifies everything that is positive about community football and community sport.

“He is a most deserving humble VFL Life Member that is respected by anyone and everyone that is lucky enough to work with him.”

Penaluna joins Simon Atkins, David Lyons, Donald McDonald, John Nicol James Podsiadly, Len 'Tiger' Ryan, Nathan Saunders and Ray Smith as figures associated with Werribee to have earnt VFL Life Membership.