By Callum Ludwig
Warburton-Millgrove Under 18s footballer Liam Westlake has scooped up his second consecutive league best and fairest award, this time in a premiership season.
Nicknamed ‘Mumford’ for his similarity in playing style to former AFL star Shane Mumford, Westlake split his time this season between full-forward and ruck.
Westlake said he was pretty astonished to have won again.
“I didn’t think I was going to be up there this year for sure. The Kinglake boys in the Under 18s were pretty good and I thought they were going to steal the choccies, but I was very shocked and very happy,” he said.
“Definitely meant more to win the flag, however, it means everything to the club, we hadn’t won an Under 18s premiership for a few years now so it was a great achievement.”
Despite spending most of the second half of the season through the middle of the ground, Westlake still finished as the fifth-highest goalkicker in the league with 22 and featured in Warburton-Millgrove’s best players seven times.
Westlake said having a full year of footy was one of the best bits of the season.
“Probably the granny too as well. It’s just so much fun turning up every Saturday and for finals, there’s nothing better. Going forward hopefully I continue to progress with my footy and win a few more premierships,” he said.
“I’ve got a good set of hands, I’d say about myself. I think I probably enjoy playing in the ruck a bit more, you are on the ball, get your hands on it a lot more and get to touch it every five seconds at a ball up.”
In one particularly stunning display, Westlake kicked seven goals in a 62-point Round 8 win over Alexandra.
Westlake said the future is looking good for Warburton-Millgrove.
“There’s a few good boys coming up from the Under 18s and the senior group is looking very strong,” he said.
“The culture at Warby is amazing, the players and coaches are great to be around and it is a great club in general. Thanks to the club and my parents for taking me all over the countryside, as well as Scott Muir and Mick Walker for all their work in my training and development through junior footy.”
Warburton-Millgrove’s Bailey Humphrey and Blake Muir finished also equal fifth in the Under 18s League vote count.
Warburton-Millgrove also was awarded as the Best Conducted Club.
