JUSTIN WESTHOFF has won the John Cahill Medal at Port Adelaide’s 2018 Best and Fairest event.

The 31-year-old polled 179 votes to finish 17 clear of joint runners up Tom Jonas and Ollie Wines.

2018 A.R. McLean Medallist: Will Snelling

He had trailed them heading into the final game of the season but polled 20 of a maximum 25 votes to claim his first John Cahill Medal in front of more than 1000 people at the Adelaide Convention Centre.

Westhoff is the fifteenth player to win the medal since Darren Mead’s inaugural accomplishment in 1997 and the oldest to ever claim the award.

The oldest player on the Power’s list polled in 20 of the side’s 22 games including three best on ground performances, showing remarkable consistency during the 2018 campaign.

It caps a wonderful week for the veteran utility who also signed a one-year contract extension with the club during the week.

The 200 centimetre forward also spent time on the wing and in the ruck in 2018 and provided a calming influence at times when his side was under immense pressure.

“After 12 years you get on and to be still around and still be relevant in the game and to be standing up here at the moment is pretty humbling,” Westhoff said to cheers of “Hoff” from a raucous crowd.

“To shake Jack’s (John Cahill’s) hand and join guys like Robbie Gray and legends of the club is truly an honour.

“It’s a bit of a shock to be up here to be honest.

“I’ve been in the game for 12 years and I’ve finally done something with my career so that’s nice… but we’ve got some young guys coming through and hopefully we’re on to bigger and better things.”

Westhoff thanked former coach Mark Williams for taking a risk on him and showing faith to play him, while he also credited other coaches, staff, volunteers and teammates as well as club supporters.

In the other AFL award categories, Tom Jonas made it consecutive Fos Williams Medals as the best team man, as voted by his teammates, Dan Houston claimed both the Gavin Wanganeen Award as the best player under 21 and the Coaches’ Award as most improved, and Westhoff’s work with homeless people and children earnt him the John McCarthy Award for community service.

2018 John Cahill Medal Leaderboard

1

WESTHOFF

179

2

JONAS

162

2

WINES

162

4

GRAY R

152

5

POLEC

151

6

WINGARD

143

7

BYRNE-JONES

139

8

HOUSTON

131

9

BOAK

126

10

CLUREY

110

 

Other AFL award winners

Fos Williams Medal (best team man) 
Tom Jonas

Gavin Wanganeen Award (best player under 21) 
Dan Houston

Coaches’ Award (most improved) 
Dan Houston

John McCarthy Award (for community service) 
Justin Westhoff

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