Saunders claims third Bernie Naylor Medal

Mt Barker-bred sharpshooter Ben Saunders became only the eighth player in West Australian Football League history to win three or more Bernie Naylor Medals after booting four goals in South Fremantle’s victory over Perth in the final home-and-away fixture last Saturday.

Saunders went into round 23 trailing Subiaco’s Hamish Shepherd by three goals but with Subiaco having the bye in the last round, it was the high-flying Saunders who stormed home to win a third title for the WAFL leading goalkicker.

He finished with 4.5 in the Bulldogs’ comfortable victory, taking his tally to 52 goals from 19 games this season to edge out Shepherd on 51 and become the first three-time Bernie Naylor medallist since Brad Smith in 2007.

The 24-year-old was proud to add another Bernie Naylor Medal to his collection but said his focus was on his side’s premiership tilt, which begins on Saturday against West Perth in the qualifying final.

“On a personal level this is something I will look back on when I hang the boots up,” he said.

“He had (the lead) pretty much the whole way through, I tied it up a couple of weeks ago but it was nice to get over him in the end and I couldn’t have done it without my teammates. “Our dynamic in the forward line is great.

“At the moment I am still super focused on this finals series, we’ve had such a good year and we are alive.”

Saunders, who switched from Claremont to the Bulldogs after the 2011 season, has never played in a WAFL league final and said he was keen to play a big part in his side’s finals campaign.

“I haven’t played in finals here at South,” he said.

“I won a reserves flag at Claremont but I feel we’ve got something special in this group.

“We recruited well, every-one has stepped up and the younger guys have matured.

“It’s just a nice feeling and a place you want to be.

“I want to do anything I can to help us win on Saturday, focus on my pressure, be an option and hopefully put us in good stead to win.”

Saunders won the Sean Plaisted Medal as a teenager for the Bulls in 2009 and wished his home club the best of luck in the Great Southern Football League finals.

“They’re flying at the moment, I like to keep up to date with how the boys are going,” he said.

“They have been battling for a few years but I’m super stoked for them and hopefully they get up.”

Bernie Naylor Medals

2016 — 52 goals

2014 — 59 goals

2012 — 66 goals