Chace the ace! Bottom-aged Bulldog wins Jack Clarke Medal

Bottom-aged South Fremantle young gun Chace Vanderhoek has announced himself as a star of the future by winning the Jack Clarke Medal as the EGT WAFL Colts competition’s fairest-and-best player.

The South Coogee Junior Football Club product enjoyed a breakout Colts campaign for the Bulldogs, helping his side finish second on the ladder after the home-and-away season.

The 17-year-old featured in all of South Fremantle’s 16 home-and-away matches, averaging more than 26 disposals per game in a consistent year in the midfield on the way to 23 votes.

Vanderhoek, who was the second Bulldogs player in a row to win the prestigious award after ball magnet turned Fremantle draftee Toby Whan was the joint winner alongside East Fremantle’s Tom Grylls last year, also regularly hit the scoreboard with 11 majors across the season.

Vanderhoek polled in 11 games with four best-on-ground performances including three in a row from Round 13-15.

He’ll get the chance to add a premiership medal to his trophy cabinet when his Bulldogs take on arch-rivals and minor premiers East Fremantle in Sunday’s EGT WAFL Colts Grand Final at Optus Stadium from 4.40pm.

Fellow bottom-ager, Subiaco’s Sam O’Brien, finished runner-up on 18 votes after a strong end to his season.

O’Brien polled in four of his last five games including three best-afield efforts in Round 16, 19 and 20.

Despite only playing seven home-and-away matches due to PSA footy commitments with Hale School, 2027 AFL Draft prospect Campbell Creyk finished equal-third on 16 votes.

The West Perth talent remarkably polled in six of his seven Colts appearances, including four maximum-vote games, to tie with teammate Luca Boczar.

Claremont son of a gun and West Coast father-son prospect Noah Braun rounded out the top-five with 14 votes from 11 games.

Braun, the son of Eagles champion Michael, had a prolific run of form early with eight votes in three games from Round 4-6, including a three-voter for his record-breaking 50-disposal game against Perth in Round 6.

The smooth-moving midfielder’s form earned a late call-up to the AAMI WA Football State 18s squad after his Colts performances, featuring in the final two games of the AFL National Under-18s Championship.

Swan Districts’ Jai Debono and highly-rated East Fremantle bottom-ager James Artemis also polled double-digit votes with 10 apiece.

Peel Thunder key forward Trent Robertson topped the competition’s goal-kicking across the home-and-away season with 28 majors in 14 appearances.

Jack Clarke Medal – leaderboard

23 votes: Chace Vanderhoek, South Fremantle

18: Sam O’Brien, Subiaco

16: Campbell Creyk, West Perth

16: Luca Boczar, West Perth

14: Noah Braun, Claremont

10: Jai Debono, Swan Districts

10: James Artemis, East Fremantle

8: Finlay Yeo, East Fremantle