Footy is all about team achievement, but the ultimate personal honour is to win your club’s best and fairest award.
St Kilda’s best and fairest, named in honour of the great Trevor Barker, has the longest unbroken line of any AFL club, stretching back to 1914, and containing some of the greatest footballers ever to grace the game.
As we prepare to add another winner to that exalted list, it is worth reflecting on those who have gone tantalisingly close to the honour.
Alan Morrow and Leigh Montagna are the two who stand out as the unluckiest not to have received the Saints’ ultimate individual honour.
They played in the two most successful eras on St Kilda’s history, with Morrow running second in 1959, 1962 and 1963 and finishing third in 1960. The ever-popular 'Joey' Montagna was second in 2010 and 2012 and had third placings in 2007, 2009 and 2013.
Looking at the calibre of their teammates, it is clear that competition was extreme. Across Morrow’s playing span of 1957 to 1966 he took the field alongside the legendary Darrel Baldock and Brownlow medallists Brian Gleeson, Neil Roberts, Verdun Howell and Ross Smith.
Joey Montagna’s fellow Saints included Nick Riewoldt, Robert Harvey and Lenny Hayes.
Joey’s first season in 2002 was the last season for our mighty forward Stewart Loewe who had also played in a time of multiple club greats. Big Loewey won the best and fairest in 1990 and was then runner-up in 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1996 – no disgrace in being pipped by Tony Lockett, Robert Harvey and his great mate Nathan Burke (twice) in those seasons.
Morrow's initial place on the best and fairest podium was in 1959 when he was second only to Verdun Howell – that year’s joint Brownlow medallist. In 1962, he was pipped by first-year star Darrel Baldock, and he again finished just behind Baldock in 1963. Morrow had a third placing in 1960.
In both 2010 and 2012, Joey finished runner-up to Lenny Hayes. He ran third behind Nick Riewoldt and Sam Fisher in 2007, was third again in 2009 behind Nick and Brendon Goddard, and in 2013 was third to Jack Steven and Riewoldt.
It is fair to say that had they played in any other era, the names of Joey Montagna and Alan Morrow would have figured on our best and fairest honour roll.
