The Batemans Bay Seahawks had a bright end to a frustrating season at the AFL Canberra awards night on Friday, October 1.
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The club had at least one player in the top five of each best and fairest count, including having three girls in the top four of the AFL Canberra second-grade women's count.
On top of the best-and-fairest results, senior men's coach Mick Kenny was named coach of the year in AFL Canberra third grade.
In the third grade count, or Batemans Bay's senior men's grade, key forward and co-captain Ross Hummel finished second in the count on 14 votes, just two behind eventual winner Patrick McCartney of the Woden Football Club.
In the fourth grade count, Jai Handley finished equal fourth on seven votes, four behind Yass' Darcy Paine.
And in the women's count, Gabrielle Johnson finished second with 16 votes, ahead of both Sophie Alves and Alison Ryan on 15 votes. ANU's Elizabeth Hill won the count with 23 votes.
Alves was also the competition's leading goal kicker with 38 majors.
Club president Heath Petterwood said he couldn't be prouder of the club's results in season 2021.
"Mick (Kenny) took out coach of the year, which was great, and to have three ladies in the top four is a fantastic result," he said.
"Ross Hummel also polled 14 votes in only seven games, and Jai Handley played quite a bit of senior footy this year, so that's a massive effort from both of them."
Mr Petterwood said he expects both coach Kenny and women's coach Aaron Wickham to return in 2022.
"It's a just reward (for Kenny). It's not so much what he does on match day, it's his efforts away from the field as well," he said.
"After the fires last year he organised a country v coast game that raised more than $5000 for local RFS, and he helped organise bushfire clean ups with some of the players.
"He put a horse in the Hotham Cup and won the club more than $12,000, and he helped set up the gym down at the clubhouse.
"We've got a few things in the pipeline like new benches, a new scorebox, exercise bikes and ice baths to give a little bit back to the players.
"Aaron has unfinished business. He has a healthy relationship with the girls and to see the development in the players in such a short amount of time is fantastic.
"A lot of those women haven't played footy since juniors, and they've really only been playing together for the past three years."
Coach Kenny said he was surprised by his award on the night.
"It's nice to be recognised externally among my coaching peers," he said.
"The last two seasons have been frustrating, and we had such a great year this year and were playing our best footy towards the end, so it's disappointing to not get the opportunity to play finals.
"You obviously don't play or coach for individual awards, but it's nice to be recognised."
Kenny said he wouldn't be able to do his role to such good effect without the support of several key people both inside and outside the club.
"There's a lot of people behind the scenes," he said. "Heath (Petterwood) and Danny White are the two most notable at the moment, and Arlo Ireland as well for my first few years.
"I also have to thank my wife Sophie for putting up with my coaching for going on seven years now. When I'm not thinking about footy, I'm either playing it or watching it, and I wouldn't be able to do any of that without her support.
"They're the reason I do it, they keep me grounded and keep me driving forward. It's always nice to get away from footy to spend time with the family, but they give me 100 per cent support to do what I do.
"Ross Hummel and Nathan Blackburn also take a lot of pressure off me for gamedays. I wouldn't be able to coach to the best of my ability without those blokes."