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Katandra and Shepparton product Lachie Ash has taken out the highest honours at the GWS Giants’ best and fairest. Ash finished first in the Kevin Sheedy Medal vote count, registering 71 votes, polling two ahead of second-placed Giant Connor Idun. It caps a terrific individual season for Ash, who was Victoria’s best-on-ground in the AFL’s pre-season State of Origin match, and a first-time All-Australian. Ash said he was “honoured” to take out the award named after the club’s inaugural head coach, but is hungry for better team success in 2027. “I’m pretty honoured to win this award, there’s plenty of good players on these posters up here so to think I’m gonna be up there - probably not going to sink in for a little while,” Ash said. “...I think we all know we didn’t finish where we wanted this year and didn’t have the year that we wanted as a group. “We’ve got high expectations as a group, so I’m looking forward to getting back to the club, putting in the work, getting better and to make sure we’re playing on a Thursday night and not having our best and fairest this time next year. “Hopefully we can use this year as motivation to come back pretty hungry for next year and do something pretty special.” Tongala’s Harley Reid is another Goulburn Valley alum that won his club’s best and fairest gong, winning West Coast’s John Worsfold Medal.