GSFL 2023: Denmark-Walpole's Bradley Pope claims Punch Medal among awards handed out at Kleemann Medal gala

Denmark-Walpole’s Bradley Pope has caused a shock upset in the 2023 Charlie Punch Medal as the fairest and best player in the Great Southern Football League’s reserves competition. The Punch Medal was among a host of other awards handed out at Monday night’s Kleemann Medal presentations. Pope, however, stole the show after winning the honour in a side that failed to win a game this season. The Magpies chief ball winner polled consistently across the home-and-away season and missed only one match. Despite his team losing 14 games and forfeiting the other, Pope finished with 17 votes to claim his first Punch Medal. Pope played 13 of the Magpies 14 games and polled in 10 of those, including two best on ground displays. He was best on ground in the Magpies’ three-point loss to Mt Barker in round three and also his side’s 102-point defeat at the hands of Royals in round four. Pope collected two votes in three games to go with five singe vote games and despite not adding to his tally after round 13, prevailed by four over Albany’s Siyang Zhang. Zhang finished with 13 votes while the top five in the count was rounded out by Sharks’ Ashley Sanders (12 votes), Bulls’ Sam Lehmann (12) and Lions’ Nathan Powell (11). Pope is the first Magpies player to win the Punch Medal since Jono Woods tied for the honour back in 2013. Denmark-Walpole Football Club president Tyrone Kennedy was duly recognised as the volunteer of the year for his tireless efforts in 2023. Sharks veteran Brett Peake picked up his second Sean Plaisted trophy, as the competition’s leading goalkicker. Peake booted 55 majors in 12 games to emulate the feat of 2021. Daniel Till received the Peter Watson Umpire of the Year honour. North Albany young gun Kobi Keen was named the Great Southern Storm’s best player at both the Great Southern Colts Carnival and the Nutrien Ag Solutions Country Football Championships. The GSFL’s return to carnival football saw Lions ruckman Stephen Beal named the best player at the country championships while Railways’ Logan Stubber was runner-up. Sharks forward Zac Pearson kicked 42 majors in the regular season to win the reserves leading goalkicker award.