Bernie Vince tonight celebrated his 24th birthday by winning Adelaide’s 2009 Club Champion award.

Vince clinched his first Malcolm Blight Medal and Gold Jacket with 43 votes, breaking clear of runner-up Jason Porplyzia (41 votes), captain Simon Goodwin and Michael Doughty in the last game of the season.

Only five votes separated the top six players. Goodwin finished third on 39 votes and three Crows – Doughty, Graham Johncock and Kurt Tippett – all received 38 votes.

The presentation was held tonight in front of 900 guests at the Adelaide Convention Centre.

Vince, who polled votes in 22 of the 24 games, became the 12th player to win the Adelaide club champion award since 1991. He also received the 19th Man award, voted by the members as the most valuable player.

Three votes in the semi-final loss to Collingwood was enough for Vince to secure the Malcolm Blight Medal. Before this game the midfielder was equal with Porplyzia on 40 votes, ahead of Goodwin and Doughty on 37.

Vince was not among the leaders at the halfway mark of the season but by the end of the minor round he was one of seven Crows within four votes of the lead, held by Porplyzia. He then received the maximum four votes in the elimination final win over Essendon and three votes in the knock-out MCG semi-final.

It is four years since Vince was a ‘smokey’ draft pick by the Crows. From Stansbury on the Yorke Peninsula, he spent some time in the SANFL reserves with Woodville-West Torrens but returned home during the 2005 season to play with his country club. However, he was enticed back to the Eagles and he made his league debut late in the season.

Adelaide used its second pick (No 32 overall) at the 2005 national draft to claim Vince and he made his AFL debut in the opening round of the following year. But he took some time to adapt to the higher level and played just ten AFL games in his first two seasons before he developed into a regular member of the midfield in 2008.

Vince played in all 24 premiership matches this season, lifting his career tally to 55 games. He was also shortlisted as an All Australian contender.

Other 2009 award winners were Brad Symes (Best Team Man, sponsored by City of Charles Sturt and adidas); Vince (19th Man Award, Members’ Most Valuable Player); Jason Porplyzia (Coach’s Award, sponsored by AFC Vice Presidents); Patrick Dangerfield (Mark Bickley Award, sponsored by the Crows Supporters Group); Andy Otten (Emerging Talent award, sponsored by AFC Chairman’s Circle) and Porplyzia (Leading Goalkicker award, sponsored by AFC Premiership Club).


2009 Club Champion voting

43 – Bernie Vince
41 – Jason Porplyzia
39 – Simon Goodwin
38 – Michael Doughty
38 – Graham Johncock
38 – Kurt Tippett
36 – Scott Thompson
30 – Tyson Edwards
30 – Andrew McLeod
29 – Chris Knights
28 – David Mackay
27 – Ben Rutten
25 – Andy Otten
24 – Nathan Bock
24 – van Berlo
23 – Brad Symes
21 – Scott Stevens
20 – Ivan Maric
19 – Richard Douglas
19 – Brent Reilly
17 – Patrick Dangerfield
13 – Robert Shirley
9 – James Sellar
9 – Taylor Walker
7 – Brett Burton
6 – Brad Moran
5 – Jared Petrenko
4 – Trent Hentschel
2 – Jonathon Griffin
2 – Brodie Martin
1 – Nick Gill
1 – Rory Sloane