Atlanta Kookaburras

In a first for the Atlanta Kookaburras there was a tie for the Best & Fairest Award for the 2007 season. Both Ross Larosa and Wayne Kraska finished the evening after the counting of the votes on 54 and became the first players to share the Mike Powers Medal as Best & Fairest Player for the Atlanta Kookaburras season.

The Lady Kookaburras Best & Fairest award was won by Judith Stein who held off the fast finishing Jenny Sarbacker by two votes. Captain of the Kookaburras Stein is the only player to have never missed a game in their three year history and adds the MVP award to her success as Captain of the winning National Championship team in Louisville.

Back to the mens count and it was Kraska that took an early lead mainly with solid games away in Baton Rouge and Florida. Larosa who was playing his first full year at the Kookas had great games at home against Milwaukee and then away against the same team in the mud late in August. Coming to the Nationals games of the vote count only two votes separated the players and having both made solid contributions to the Kookaburras three games in Louisville, the stage was set for an interesting finish. Interesting it was, as Larossa polled only two votes for the weekend and Kraska received none so perhaps fittingly they finished tied on 54 votes.

For Kraska it was record third Best & Fairest win for the Kookaburras having also been successful in 2003 and 2005. Kraska was also runner-up in 2002. Larosa who was an assistant coach for 2007 said later his award was a thrill and that he was just so wrapped to find footy being played here in Atlanta after arriving last year.

A list of all awards handed out on the night were.

Mens

Best & Fairest (Mike Powers Medal) Ross Larosa & Wayne Kraska (tied)

Best 1st Tear Player - Adam Jennings

Most Improved Player - Adam Grist

Coach's Award - Curtis Jones

Best at Nationals - Damien Sheehan & Curtis Jones (tied)

Womens

Best & Fairest Player - Judith Stein

Runner-Up Best & Fairest Player - Jenny Sarbacker

Best 1st Year Player - Katie Grist

Coach's Award - Dewi Mitchell

Best at Nationals - Cathy Reinhardt

Overall Best & Fairest Votes

Ross LaRosa 54
Wayne Kraska 54
Damien Sheehan 42
Curtis Jones 40
Brent Kewley 29
Ben Crist 21
Reid Tankersley 20
Adam Jennings 15
Mike Frost 14
Warren Ballagh 10
Ed Robinson 9
Hugo Sach 8
Pete Eckman 7
Adam Mobley 6
Brian Lucy 5
Andy Ciganek 4
Eric Baker 1
Jewel Grier 1

Judtih Stein 28
Jenny Sarbacker 26
Katie Grist 23
Cathy Reinhardt 13
Christina Murdock 10
Stephanie Powell 10
Nikki-Nicole Peoples 10
Deiw Mitchell 9
Sue Marsh 8
Dianna Pizzari 8
kIM Wilkins 7
Kris Kubicek 6
Ashley Harmon 4

Nationals Votes

Damien Sheehan 11
Curtis Jones 11
Ed Robinson9
Mike Frost 7
Warren Ballagh 5
Andy Ciganek 4
Brent Kewley 3
Ross LaRosa 2
Ben Crist 2

Cathy Reinhardt 13
Jenny Sarbacker 11
Nikki-Nicole Peoples 10
Sue Marsh 8
Diana Pizzari 8
Kim Wilkins 7
Katie Grist 6
Judith Stein 4
Ashley Harmon 4
Dewi Mitchell 1