OLLIE WINES has capped an incredible season by winning the John Cahill Medal at Port Adelaide’s 2021 Best and Fairest event.

The 26-year-old polled 229 votes to finish 62 clear of runner-up Travis Boak, and 65 ahead of third-placed Aliir Aliir.

Wines took the lead after polling 14 votes in the Round 5 win over Carlton and streaked ahead from that point to claim his first John Cahill Medal at the Adelaide Convention Centre.

He polled in all of the club’s 24 games, showing remarkable consistency.

The win caps a remarkable season where he earned his first All-Australian blazer and became the club’s first Brownlow Medal winner with a record tally of 36 votes.

Wines said it meant a lot to be recognised among some of the club’s absolute greats with the John Cahill Medal.

“I didn’t get Chris Davies to prepare me any notes tonight because I’m pretty well rehearsed with it,” he joked after his Brownlow Medal acceptance speech was drafted by the club’s General Manager – Football nearly a fortnight ago.

“To the football club and everyone a part of it, the players departing – special mention to Hamish Hartlett who I am very close with… and to all the players we do it tough together, we work hard in the pre-season and we ride the highs and lows.

“I have no doubt this group is full of character. The fire burns within us so we’ll be back next year.”

Wines thanked the volunteers and staff at the club while he also credited coaches, teammates as well as club supporters and his family.

Runner-up Boak took home the Fos Williams Medal as the best team man as voted by his teammates for the third year in a row and a record sixth time overall and Aliir Aliir claimed the Bruce Weber Memorial Award for this third-place finish in the best and fairest voting.

In the other AFL award categories, second-year forward Mitch Georgiades claimed the Gavin Wanganeen Award as the best player under 21 and Karl Amon took home the Coaches’ Award as most improved after his fourth-placed finish in the John Cahill Medal.

The John McCarthy Medal for work in the community also went to Boak for his work with the Childhood Cancer Association – his second win in that category after taking home the award in 2019.

AFL award winners

John Cahill Medal (best and fairest)
Ollie Wines

Runner up
Travis Boak

Bruce Weber Memorial Award (second runner up)
Aliir Aliir

Fos Williams Medal (best team man) 
Travis Boak

Gavin Wanganeen Award (best player under 21) 
Mitch Georgiades

Coaches’ Award (most improved) 
Karl Amon

John McCarthy Award (for community service) 
Travis Boak