DIVISION 4 BEST AND FAIREST & BEST ON GROUND AWARDS NAMED

The Eastern Football League has confirmed the naming of the 2019 grand final best on ground and senior competition best and fairest awards.  

With the League restructuring to five divisions in season 2019, Division 4 will receive two newly-named awards.

The Division 4 senior competition best and fairest award recipient will receive the Stephen Jones Medal, named in honour of the long-time former EFL administrator, player, coach and president.

Jones played his junior football with then-Eastern District Football League club Olinda, before crossing to Ringwood in the senior top-tier from 1976-1979, featuring in the club’s last Division 1 premiership side in 1978.

After a seven-year hiatus, Jones returned to the Redbacks to close out his playing career from 1985-1991, totalling upwards of 150 Eastern league top-flight matches.

He subsequently served as Ringwood president for three years, followed by a three-year stint as senior coach of Chirnside Park. It was after this where Jones served on the Eastern Football League board, before joining the AFL Victoria board for two years.

The player adjudged best afield in the Division 4 senior grand final will receive the Colin Tainton-Blue Ribbon Medal, named in honour of the former East Burwood and Coldstream-great who passed away in January this year.

Tainton played 513 Eastern District Football League matches between 1946 and 1971, winning six senior club best and fairest awards along with three consecutive League best and fairest awards from 1952-1954.

Inducted as a life member of the League in 1994, Tainton was also a six-time premiership player at the Rams among a host of career honours.

More on Colin Tainton here

Medal structure: