Horsley adds Outridge Medal to second premiershipSaturday, October 4, 2014 - 10:41 AM - by Chris Pike

SUBIACO captain Kyal Horsley has capped off a perfect return to the WAFL and the Lions in 2014 by adding a second Outridge Medal as the club's fairest and best to a second premiership medal he also claimed.

Horsley returned to Subiaco in 2014 after two years in the AFL with the Gold Coast Suns and not only took over as captain, but ended up leading the Lions to the premiership and now he is a dual Outridge Medal winner as the club's fairest and best winner.

The 27-year-old captain missed the first three games but was simply outstanding throughout the rest of the 2014 WAFL season leading Subiaco from the front in the midfield and he finished the fairest and best count on 227 votes.

That made him a clear winner ahead of fellow midfielder Jason Bristow who finished on 155 votes followed by premiership teammates Wayde Twomey (88 votes), Chris Phelan (75) and Andrew McDougall (74) rounding out the top five placings.

Horsley was a deserved winner of a second Outridge Medal is in his first season back with Subiaco after his two years with the Gold Coast Suns.

Horsley played in the 2008 premiership with Subiaco and had a brilliant 2011 campaign going close to winning the Sandover Medal to earn himself an opportunity in the AFL while also winning the Outridge Medal and leading the Lions to the grand final.

He became Subiaco captain on return this year and led from the front averaging 26.7 possessions a game, laying almost 100 tackles and kicking 14 goals.

After coming into the team in Round 4, Horsley was remarkably consistent having at least 20 possessions in every game, and gathering 32 in Round 14, 35 in Round 17 and 35 in Round 23.

That saw him rewarded with a runaway fairest and best win and now he has already amassed a career including two Outridge Medals, two premierships including one as captain, 110 matches for Subiaco, 14 in the AFL and two for Western Australia.

While Horsley was the clear winner, Bristow was also the clear runner-up with the 30-year-old tough and consistent on-baller polling well.

Bristow has now played 114 matches with Subiaco since joining from Victoria in 2008 and he has been a strong, consistent performer the whole way through since cementing his spot in the team in 2009 after missing the 2008 premiership.

He played in the losing grand finals of 2009 and 2011, but became a premiership player in 2014 with a best on ground performance in the grand final that saw him win the Simpson Medal to cap off a strong year overall.

Twomey arrived at Subiaco in 2014 already having played almost 100 WAFL matches, in a premiership, won a State game Simpson Medal and having played in the AFL but the 28-year-old proved an outstanding signing.

He averaged almost 20 possessions a game right throughout the season mostly across half-back and that saw him end up third in Outridge Medal voting before an outstanding finals series that saw him win the Best Player of the Finals.

Phelan had another outstanding season with the Lions as a prime midfielder averaging 21 possessions a game and he ended up finishing fourth in fairest and best voting.

McDougall might have only played 11 matches in 2014 after a slow start to the year through injury, but had such an impact that he ended fifth in Outridge Medal voting and became a premiership player for the first time as a 31-year-old.

Shane Yarran was another remarkable story of the 2014 premiership year with Subiaco kicking 39 goals in 20 matches in his first taste of WAFL football. He claimed the Barron Rising Star Award.

Matt Boland was another terrific signing by Subiaco and he claimed the leading goalkicking award for booting 53 goals while fellow recruit Lachlan Delahunty received the Newton Screaigh Memorial Award.

Brad McDonald was also presented with the Best Clubman Award for 2014.

Subiaco's reserves also had a dominant 2014 season finishing clear as minor premiers before ending up losing the grand final to West Perth. Joe Scafidi was presented with the Blakemore Medal as the fairest and best winner with Simon Moore also receiving a Newton Screaigh Memorial Award.

OUTRIDGE MEDAL
Fairest and best winner – Kyal Horsley
Runner-up – Jason Bristow
Third-placing – Wayde Twomey
Fourth-placing – Chris Phelan
Fifth-placing – Andrew McDougall

LEAGUE AWARD WINNERS
Player of the Finals – Wayde Twomey
Leading goalkicker – Matt Boland (53 goals)
Barron Rising Star Award – Shane Yarran
Best Clubman – Brad McDonald 
Newton Screaigh Memorial Awards – Simon Moore, Lachlan Delahunty

RESERVES FAIREST AND BEST
Blakemore Medal (reserves fairest and best winner) – Joe Scafidi