Cameron Ilett wins fifth Club Champion Award

17.09.16 22:14

Cameron Ilett has capped off another impressive season, tonight declared the 2016 NT Thunder Club Champion in front of more than 200 Thunder supporters at SKYCITY Darwin.

So dominant was his year, Ilett finished 10 votes clear of joint runners-up Raphael Clarke and Matthew Rosier, to win the Club’s highest individual award. It has been a big year for the 31 year-old who tonight takes home the award for the fifth time in his career. Playing 18 games in the NEAFL this season, including his 150th match for the Territory side, Ilett was also named captain of the 2016 NEAFL Team of the Year for the third time.

Ilett was one of only four players to poll the maximum score of five for a game. And he was the only player to do so twice, in the Round 13 game against the Brisbane Lions and the Round 21 game against Southport.

Senior Coach, Xavier Clarke said Ilett had an outstanding season. “His ability to lead on and off the field makes him a very deserving winner of this award,” Clarke said. “Cameron was our most consistent performer this season, and that is built off the back of his professionalism and his hunger to continually improve with each game.”

It was a busy night for the midfielder who was also awarded the Most Professional Award and the Player’s Player Award. Raphael Clarke and Matthew Rosier couldn’t be split after both produced outstanding seasons. The pair finished in a tie for second place with 51 votes each.

Emerging star Ben Rioli was awarded fourth place on 50 votes along with the U23 Best Talent Award while his brother Shannon Rioli and goalkicker Darren Ewing rounded out the top five on 49 votes.

Ewing’s tally of 64 goals for the season also saw him collect his eighth consecutive Leading Goalkicker Award.

2016 NT Thunder Club Champion Top Five:
Club Champion – Cameron Ilett
Club Champion – Runner Up – Raphael Clarke
Club Champion – Runner Up – Matthew Rosier
Club Champion – 4th place – Ben Rioli
Club Champion – 5th place – Darren Ewing & Shannon Rioli