There were a stack of honours presented at the Deniliquin Rovers Football netball Club’s presentations, with the spotlight particularly set on Craig Behsman and Peter Wills.
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Both received the eternal honours of life membership.
The awards recognised their contributions to the club as players, coaches, volunteers and club members for more than 30 years each.
As a player, Behsman played 147 senior games for the Rovers. He was a 1996 reserves premiership player and won the reserves best and fairest in 2005.
He later took up a role as reserves football assistant coach from 2010 to 2013, and helped guide the side to three consecutive premierships in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
Behsman also served eight years on the club’s general committee, filling roles like club secretary and as the club’s delegate to the Picola and District Football Netball League.
Outside his time as an administrator, Behsman spent eight years running the Rovers’ hotdog van, as well as umpiring and runner for the club on numerous occasions.
He has also been the club’s grounds and linesperson for well over a decade, and was recognised as Rovers Club Person of the Year in 2023.
Also a significant contributor on and off the field, Wills played 144 senior games for Rovers.
His accolades include being a six time senior football club leading goal kicker, one time league leading goal kicker, second all-time Rovers leading goal kicker, Interleague representative, senior best and fairest runner-up and 1995 grand finalist.
Following his playing career, Wills spent three seasons as a senior selector and runner before coaching the fourths for the last 12 years.
His coaching achievements include 2018 League Junior Coach of the Year, four grand final appearances and premierships in 2018 and 2026 as well as coaching dozens of players in their time during fourths.
The life memberships are only the club’s fourth and fifth in the last decade.
The presentations formed only one part of a busy weekend of presentations for the club, with the senior presentation evening being held at the Deniliquin Coach House and the junior presentation on a Sunday at the club’s Memorial Park clubrooms.
For their efforts going above and beyond for the club, the 2026 Arthur Wellard Memorial Club Person of the Year Award went to both Nerisa Wills and John Glowrey, while the President’s Award went to Pip Metcalfe.
Due to their contributions as juniors, the Wired Entertainment Junior Netball Club Person was awarded to Nina Glowrey while the Dowling Family Junior Football Club Person was presented to Reagan Macdonald.
The Loris Wills Junior Umpire Encouragement Award went to Peggy O’Donnell for showing development in umpiring this season.
The Lindsey Bulmer Memorial Award for Senior Netball Playing Club Person went to Maggie Ellis and the Bond Family Medal for Senior Football Playing Club Person went to Taj Payne.
The Rising Star Awards for a young footballer and netballer with the most potential to go further in their career were won by Isaac Behsman and Bae Willis respectively.
Awards for each grade and football and netball from the weekend are as follows:
Football:
Seniors: Best and fairest - Tyson Willis; runner-up B&F - Alex Hay; Leading Goal Kicker - Tyson Willis; Coach’s Award - Liam East; Players’ Player - Tyson Willis; Most Courageous - Liam East; Most Improved - Connor Didcock.
Reserves: Best and fairest - Dylan Mills and Andrew May; Leading Goal Kicker - Harry Mcilwain; Coach’s Award - Sam Richardson; Best in Finals - Dylan Mills.
Thirds: Best and fairest - Archer Moodie; runner-up B&F - Haydn Sampson; Leading Goalkicker - Dannon Leetham; Coach’s Award- Reece King; Most Consistent - Thomas Ives; Most Improved - Jobe Unwin; Best in Finals - Dannon Leetham.
Fourths: Best and fairest - Taj McCully; runner-up B&F - Carter Sartore; Leading Goalkicker - Cormick Hardman; Coach’s Award - Angus Knuckey; Most Consistent - Ged O’Donnell; Most Improved - Lucas Braybon; Best in Finals - Taj McCully.
Fifths (under-12s): MVP - Levi Norris; Most Consistent - Nixon Sartore; Coach’s Award - Oliver Walker.
Fifths (under-10s): MVP - Bertie Landale; Most Consistent - Braith Leiper; Coach’s Award - Lincoln Arthur.
Netball:
A-grade: Best and fairest - Natalie Sampson; runner-up B&F - Chrissy Hurst; Best in Finals - Natalie Sampson; Coach’s Award - Abbey Wills.
B-grade: Best and fairest - Georgia McCulloch; runner-up B&F - Sienna Jenkins; Best in Finals - Sienna Jenkins; Coach’s Award - Samantha Hughes.
C-grade: Best and fairest - Shané Bothma; runner-up B&F - Matilda Glowrey; Coach’s Award - Montana Muldoon-Leetham; Best in Finals - Shané Bothma.
C-reserve: Best and fairest - Lauren Butcher; runner-up B&F - Reagan Behsman; Coach’s Award - Lexi Hussey.
Under-17s: Best and fairest - Amelie Bulmer; runner-up B&F - Ruby Pisasale and Bae Willis; Coach’s Award - Zoe Basset; Best in Finals - Amelie Bulmer.
Under-15s: Best and fairest - Jorja Woolston; runner-up B&F - Nina Glowrey; Coach’s Award - Marlie Mison; Best in Finals - Nina Glowrey.
Under-13s: Best and fairest - Isabella Goodear; runner-up B&F- Indi Conallin; Coach’s Award - Khoa Unwin; Best in Finals - Isabella Goodear and Khoa Unwin.