Dominant ruckman Johnson claims second FD Book MedalSaturday, October 10, 2015 - 3:30 PM - by Chris Pike

PAUL Johnson continues to be the premier ruckman in the WAFL and after a 2015 season that saw him again confirm himself as the league's best big man and leading Western Australia to a State game win, he has claimed a second FD Book Medal as East Perth's fairest and best.

Johnson has now put together a remarkable four seasons in the WAFL with East Perth following his AFL career, and in his 90 matches with the Royals he has been the outstanding ruckman in the WAFL averaging 17 possessions, four marks and 29 hit outs right across the four years.

He again had an outstanding 2015 season and especially stood up to be East Perth's only big man for a lot of the second half of the season with Scott Lycett, Callum Sinclair and Fraser McInnes all unavailable either through injury or playing in the AFL with the West Coast Eagles.

As a result, Johnson took over playing a virtual lone hand in the ruck and doing so outstandingly to help East Perth qualify for the finals for a fourth straight year, and to make the preliminary final.

Johnson claimed the FD Book Medal as the fairest and best winner for 2015 after polling 66 votes for the season to win ahead of Garry Moss (59), Kane Luas (58) and Brendan Lee (55).

Johnson had every reason to believe his best football was behind him when he arrived at East Perth ahead of the 2012 season following a 70-game AFL career at West Coast, Melbourne and Hawthorn, and a premiership and Liston Trophy winning time in the VFL.

However, he has now delivered a remarkable four years which has seen him play 90 games, kick 52 goals, represent WA three times including twice as captain in wins over Victoria and South Australia, win a Simpson Medal in 2012 and now claim a second FD Book Medal backing up his win in 2012.

Johnson has committed to playing on for at least one more season as well for East Perth in 2016 with the 31-year-old on target to notch his 100-game milestone with the Royals and desperate to try and win the Royals' elusive first premiership since 2002.

Moss ended up runner-up in the FD Book Medal voting to cap a tremendous season after two injury-plagued season that saw the classy left-footer miss the grand final defeats of the past two years.

The usual wingman or half-forward was slotted into a new role off half-back in 2015 as well by coach Brian Dawson and he delivered a tremendous season averaging 20 possessions and five marks a game.

Lucas ended up coming third in the fairest and best voting following a tremendous season in the midfield for East Perth in his first year on West Coast's rookie-list following his career with Carlton in the AFL. He averaged over 23 possessions in his 21 games for the Royals in 2015.

Co-captain Lee had another outstanding season for East Perth as well cementing himself as one of the best on-ballers and leaders in the WAFL, averaging 26 possessions in his 20 matches.

Inspirational co-captain Craig Wulff is now the joint games record holder at East Perth at 269 matches alongside Derek Chadwick, and he added another award to his career in 2015 by winning the leading goalkicker award after booting 23 goals.

Other players to receive awards from East Perth's league team were Paddy Brophy (Best First Year Player), Tom Omodei (Coaches Award), Mitch Fraser (George Law Trainers Award) and Scott Jones (Best Clubman).

East Perth's reserves again made the finals in 2015 losing the elimination final to West Perth and one player who will look for a spot in the league midfield in 2016, Tom Hodgson, took out the Eric Smith as the fairest and best winner.

Another midfielder of the future, Tom Shanahan, was runner-up with 52 votes ahead of Will Young (50) and Zac Dent (49).

East Perth's colts only narrowly missed the finals in 2015 and Stan Wright backed up winning the Jack Clarke Medal as the WAFL Colts Player of the Year, by also taking out the Hec Stremple Medal as the Royals' fairest and best.

He won ahead of Mitch Dobson (53 votes) and Alex Di Placido (53) while Michael Entwhistle and Connor De Campo received Encouragement Awards, Nathan Eaton the Education Award and Stephen Murphy was named Best Clubman.

FD BOOK MEDAL
Winner – Paul Johnson
Runner-up – Garry Moss

OTHER AWARD WINNERS
Outstanding Play Award – Kane Lucas
Outstanding Play Award – Brendan Lee
Coaches Award – Tom Omodei
Best Clubman – Scott Jones
Leading Goalkicker – Craig Wulff (23 goals)
George Law Trainers Award – Mitch Fraser
Best First Year Player – Paddy Brophy

RESERVES AWARD WINNERS
Eric Smith Medal (fairest and best) – Tom Hodgson
Runner-up – Tom Shanahan
Outstanding Play Award – Will Young
Outstanding Play Award – Zac Dent

COLTS AWARD WINNERS
Hec Stremple Medal (fairest and best) – Stan Wright
Outstanding Play Award – Mitch Dobson
Outstanding Play Award – Alex Di Placido
Encouragement Award – Michael Entwhistle
Encouragement Award – Connor De Campo
Education Award – Nathan Eaton
Best Clubman – Stephen Murphy