A big pre-season was the catalyst behind Albion’s Chris Tomazos’ Western Football League division 2 season which saw him awarded the Alan Smith Medal on Thursday night.
Tomazas claimed the highest honour in the division 2 competition after polling 20 votes, two clear of teammate Caleb McPherson.
Another Cat, Jesse Cavanagh, finished in third spot.
Tomazos said he was pretty shocked to take out the medal.
“It’s pretty surreal,” he said. “I had a hunch the last couple of weeks that I could win it or come second or third.
“I’m pretty shocked when they read my name out. I was surprised.
“It was pretty good but it’s a shame that Jesse only played 12 games, to poll third is pretty good.
“I genuinely thought that Caleb had it in the bag.”
Tomazos admitted that he wasn’t happy with his performances last season so he made a big effort in the pre-season.
“I’ve taken it up a step in pre-season and had one of those good years,” he said.
“One was my fitness, I worked on that pretty well in the off season and I controlled my emotions a bit more as well.
“I thought I could improve and that is the next step for next year to start hitting pre-season again and take that next step.”
Tomazos’ next challenge is division 1. The Cats are one of three teams that have been promoted into the top flight.
Tomazos made his senior debut as a 16-year-old when the last season the Cats were in division 1 in 2019.
He said he hopes he has a lot of football ahead of him in that division.
“It’s been a while since we’ve been in division 1, expecting some much better players,” he said.
“I’m going to have to take a step up, cause if I don’t, it’s not going to be bright.
“I reckon we’re ready now as a team [to go back to division 1]. “We’ve built up the culture, we’re ready to go for division 1.”
For the Cats, 2024 was another strong season going through undefeated before falling just short in the grand final.
Tomazos said he felt the group had taken the disappointment of not getting the premiership really well.
“Being the hunted all year… We had a good start but in the grand final it wasn’t our day.
“The better team, Sunshine, took it home. We live and we learn and move on to bigger and better things next year.”
Meanwhile in division 1, Caroline Springs’ Alex Paech claimed the Barry Priest Medal.
The ruck in his first season in the competition, finished on 16 votes, two clear of Dillon Viojo-Rainbow, who was going for three Priest Medals in a row.
In the women’s competition, the Suns’ Akima Manoah and Werribee Centrals’ Jessica Spall shared the medal on 18 votes.
