Michael O’Connor
I know, 100%, that Michael O’Connor was rated by many, but like Pett (and another still to come), I think he is one of the unsung heroes of the title-winning side. He came in with an injury record, but quickly became a mainstay of the title-winning side.
He won 57.2% of his duels that season and registered 80.7% passing accuracy, good for a player looking to play forward. There were few sideways passes in a Danny Cowley side, and O’Connor’s experience helped drive that team forward. He even won 62% of his aerial duels.
He was a battler, and while Michael Bostwick perhaps took the ‘battler’ label, and Lee Frecklington was the hometown hero, O’Connor was a driving force behind our title win.