Swan Districts Claim Both Mark, Goal Of The Year

TONY Notte and Mitchell Bain are at the opposing ends of their football careers but both combined to help Swan Districts win the WAFL Mark and Goal of the Year awards for 2018.

Not only were Swan Districts' colts in action at Optus Stadium on Sunday taking part in a thrilling Grand Final against Subiaco, but the club was well represented with two of the seasons main awards.

Presented at half-time of the league Grand Final for 2018 between Subiaco and West Perth, it was two Swan Districts players honoured for their individual feats during the season.

Swans' 219-game veteran and co-captain Tony Notte has made a career out of being an outstanding overhead mark whether taking grabs inside-50 and kicking goals or being the best intercept marking defender in the competition.

Notte took a spectacular grab in Round 9 against Perth at Steel Blue Oval in a terrific come from behind win for Swan Districts and that was recognised on Sunday by being voted the Kia Mark of the Year.

His grab was selected one of the five best marks of the season alongside Perth's Kristian Cary (Round 1), East Perth's Brendon Ah Chee (Round 11), South Fremantle's Ben Saunders (Round 4) and his Bulldogs teammate Marlion Pickett (Round 18).

The decision was put to a public vote and the Swan Districts faithful delivered Notte the victory with 37 per cent of the vote with Perth's Cary second at 25 per cent ahead of East Perth's Ah Chee on 22 per cent.

It was a spectacular grab by the Swans star veteran who got a terrific ride over Perth's Anton Scotney and he took the mark having got a good ride and clunking it at its highest point.

Deservedly Notte was rewarded by being named with taking the KIA Mark of the Year for 2018 and claiming the $5000 prizemoney and he was happy to take home the award.

"I've been trying for a few years now and obviously to win this award is really good. Liam Ryan going out of the WAFL at the end of last year gave me the chance this year so that was nice," Notte said.

"It was pretty nice to take the mark out in front of the can bar that day. We had a pretty good crowd out there and it just sat there really nicely and luckily one of the Perth boys was sitting right under it, and I was happily enough to bring it down."

It then became a Swan Districts double when the TABtouch Goal of the Year was announced and young gun Mitchell Bain was rewarded for his stunning effort in Round 21 against Claremont.

Making it all the more remarkable was that it was the 17-year-old's league debut and the only goal he has kicked so far in league football won Goal of the Year.

It was an incredible goal too with the dashing youngster taking possession of the ball at the half-back flank and then going on a remarkable run. He run through the entire centre square, shook off a Claremont tackler and then kept on going.

He took six bounces to get himself to about 20m from goal and had just enough left in the tank to kick the goal and set Bassendean Oval alight.

It was then no surprise to see him nominated as Goal of the Year and then win the award with 55 per cent of the vote.

He won ahead of South Fremantle's Matthew Parker (Round 3, 17 per cent), Perth's Cody Leggett (Round 1, 14 per cent), West Perth's Tyson Moulton (Round 20, 12 per cent) and West Perth's Andrew Strijk (Round 17, two per cent).

The 17-year-old accepted his award having just played in the colts Grand Final where he'd kicked another brilliant late goal to give Swans the chance.

But reflecting on his Goal of the Year effort, he jus saw the open space and took off.

"I just looked up and I saw no one so I just decided to run. I ended up with six bounces and then just decided to go all the way and kick the goal," Bain said.

"I was pretty gassed when I kicked it and I wasn’t sure if I was going to make the distance so I got as close in as I could."