PORT Adelaide midfielder Travis Boak has paid an emotional tribute to mother Chicki and late father Roger after tying with defender Jackson Trengove to collect the John Cahill Medal on Friday night.

Boak and Trengove each polled 13 votes in a low-scoring count, edging out popular onballer Tom Logan (10 votes) to become the first joint winners of the John Cahill Medal in the award's 15-year history.

Boak, 23, took on enormous responsibility in the midfield this season, missing only one game and leading the Power in disposals (458), clearances (79) and inside 50ms (85).

The former Geelong Falcons junior has always displayed maturity beyond his years.

He was forced to grow up quickly, becoming the 'man of the house' after losing his father - a legend of the Torquay Football Club - to cancer in 2005. 

His mother and sisters wept when he was drafted to Port Adelaide only a year later, but supported his interstate move staying in touch with nightly phone calls.

The 90-game player looks to the sky in a gesture to his father before he runs out in every match.

He did the same in his acceptance speech at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Friday night, fighting back tears as he thanked his mum, who was in the room, and said, "Dad, I hope I've done you proud."

"It's hard to talk about mum and dad, how much they mean to me and how much they've meant to me over my career. I do get a little bit emotional," Boak said

"Mum has been amazing especially over the last five or six years, because it's been pretty tough.

"She's been my rock. When I've had tough times I've always called her and after a game if I'm a bit down she's always there for me.

"I owe my life to her and she's been so good to me."

Like Boak, Trengove has been fast-tracked in his development at Alberton.

The 20-year-old is the youngest-ever winner of the John Cahill Medal, and took out the award in only his second full season of AFL.

"I don't think it's sunk in," Trengove said after being presented with the award.

"It's a great honour for Trav and I, especially both being so young.
"I don't think it'll be until tomorrow or the day after that we really recognise what we've done this year."

"It's a good feeling and a great honour, but we're not really worried about best and fairests and awards. As a club, we've got a lot of work to do and we know that.

"We'll work hard over the pre-season, come back bigger and stronger and hopefully win a few more games next year."

Boak and Trengove are both members of Port Adelaide's leadership group.

The promising pair has been earmarked to help fill the leadership breech created by 'retired' veterans Dean Brogan and Chad Cornes, who were recognised for their contribution to the club on Friday night.

"Jackson and I really enjoyed the job in the leadership group this year and took another step in our development," Boak said.

"I think now's the time that we, alongside Dom [Cassisi], try and lead the team."

Brogan and Cornes, who were influenced into retiring by Port Adelaide, have been approached to join newcomers Greater Western Sydney next season.

GWS is able to select the duo under the 'previously-listed' player concession but the Power - who could lose Brogan and Cornes for nothing and still be open to a raid by the Giants in 2012 - are playing hard-ball.

The club has threatened to re-contract Brogan, complicating his path to GWS.

There was concern Brogan and Cornes would boycott the awards night as a show of defiance, but both players were in attendance and gave heartfelt speeches about their decorated careers at the club.

Boak, who has already been mentioned as a target of GWS, is a player Port Adelaide is moving to protect by demanding the AFL's 18th team takes either Brogan or Cornes as an uncontracted player.

This would mean no other Power player is able to join the Giants without the club's consent.

Boak is out of contract next year, but gave an early indication he wanted to stay at Alberton.

"The club has been fantastic to me and hopefully I can repay them in the future," he said.