Nash Holmes’ debut VFL season has been recognised with Essendon’s best first year player award on Friday night.
Holmes cemented himself in the Bombers best 22 in the back half of the season and in the process won himself a lot of fans with his ruthless style of play.
After debuting against Richmond in round nine, Holmes missed just one game with injury for the remainder of the season and played a variety of roles through the midfield and in the forward half.
The shoulder injury which forced him to miss that one game came from one of his trademark courageous passages of play.
Recruited from Gippsland Power, the 19 year-old averaged 17.5 disposals and kicked 10 goals in 2016.
Now departed Essendon VFL coach Matthew Egan said Holmes learned a lot in his first year out of the junior system.
“Seeing him develop over the year, he wasn’t getting much opportunity early and going back to Keilor he was taught well by Mick McGuane,” Egan said.
“He wasn’t happy about that but it was all part of his learning, he earned his way into the team and by the end of the year he was in our best 22.
“He has shown he can learn and develop and play a lot of roles, he played wing, inside mid and forward and did them all really well.”
Daniel Coghlan finished second in the best and fairest count for the R.A Freeman Medal.
The Bombers skipper averaged 19.2 disposals and has been an ultra consistent performer finishing runner-up for the second year in a row after a third place finish in 2014.
Coghlan played 19 of the Bombers 20 games, missing round eight against Richmond when he represented the VFL against the SANFL in Adelaide.
Essendon’s vice-captain Ben McNiece rounded out the top three in the best and fairest voting.
The defender played 16 games throughout the year, averaging 16 disposals whilst often keeping the opposition’s most dangerous forward in check.
In other awards, Shaun McKernan’s 18 goals was enough to secure him the leading goal kicker’s trophy.
The Stevens family Most Valuable Staff Member award went to Wayne Wunhym who works in property.
