In a thrilling finale to the J.J. Liston Trophy vote count, three players tied for the Peter Jackson VFL’s highest individual honor.
At the end of 19 rounds, nothing could separate Steve Clifton (North Ballarat), Mitch Hallahan (Box Hill Hawks) and Jordan Schroder (Geelong), all locked on 17 votes in an epic count.
With only four players in contention going into the final round, Schroder leapt from fourth to a three-way tie when he polled the maximum votes in Geelong’s 201-point win against Bendigo Gold, joining Clifton and Hallahan for the win.
For Clifton it was a stunning return to the VFL after spending the previous two seasons on GWS’ list.
It was a memorable season for Clifton who notched his 100th game for the Roosters, represented the VFL in a State match and was a shining light as North Ballarat just missed the finals for a second year in a row.
Clifton became the first dual Liston Trophy winner in North Ballarat Football Club history.
And, Clifton joined Alan Poore (1965-66), Laurie Hill (1969-71), Swan (1982-83), David Robbins (2000-’03) and Shane Valenti (’10-11) – who he shared the 2010 title with - as dual Liston Trophy winners.
Schroder joined former Geelong premiership captain James Byrne as the club’s only Liston victors.
Interestingly, Geelong had 24 players gain votes, but Schroder was the only player to poll double digit votes.
Hallahan became just the fourth Liston Trophy winner in Box Hill Hawks history and the first since Sam Mitchell posted his extraordinary victory in 2002.
In fact, Schroder became the youngest Liston Trophy winner since Mitchell, who was 19 when he claimed the Liston.
AFL listed Hallahan and Schroder - with top two AFL clubs Hawthorn and Geelong - have showcased their talents in the VFL this year and will both feature in VFL Legendairy preliminary finals in a fortnight's time.
It was a particularly impressive year for Schroder, who this week plays his 50th game, and has played just 11 games for the VFL Cats – polling in seven of them.
Schroder played three games less than Hallahan – who missed the final two rounds due to injury - and seven games less than Clifton, who played every game.
Clifton polled in the most games – nine – where he collected three best-on-grounds, two sets of two and four single votes.
Hallahan and Schroder received the same break-down of votes – four lots of three votes; two twos and one single.
Interestingly, Hallahan did not poll a vote last season while Schroder gained one vote.
All three players are products of the TAC Cup. While Clifton came through the North Ballarat Rebels in 2005, Hallahan and Schroder, were both graduates from the 2010 year.
Hallahan, a co-captain of Dandenong Stingrays with current Sydney Swan Luke Parker, was selected in the second round, No 38 overall, of the 2010 NAB AFL Draft.
Schroder, a member of the Calder Cannons 2010 premiership, was selected by Geelong in the third round, No 54 overall, of the 2010 AFL Draft.
Just as remarkable as the count, it is not the first time that there has been a triple dead heat in VFL/VFA history.
Competition games record holder Billy Swan, father of Brownlow Medalist Dane, tied with Preston’s Geoff Austen and Oakleigh’s David Wenn for the 1982 Liston Trophy.
And, eight years later, there was a quadruple dead heat with Oakleigh’s Joe Garbuio, Preston’s Matt Burrows, Springvale’s Stuart Nichol and Port Melbourne’s Steven Harkin all knotted up at the end of the count.
Indeed, it was the eighth time in the history of the Liston that there has been more than one winner.
The first Liston dead-heat was in 1978 (Barry Bolan/Trevor Durward); followed by the above mentioned 1982 triple dead-heat; ’88 (Gary Sheldon/Brett McTaggart); the ’90 four way split; 2001 Brett Backwell/Ezra Poyas; ’05 (Ian Callinan/Paul Johnson) and ’10 (Clifton/ Valenti).
