By Sam Landsberger, www.heraldsun.com.au
12 September, 2011
AFL interest in Dandenong midfielder Alex Benbow is set to swell after the nuggety midfielder was awarded the Morrish Medal as the TAC Cup's best player.
Benbow was a surprise winner with 22 votes from 15 matches.
He had 31 touches against Northern Knights in his best performance of the year, and edged out star Sandringham Dragon Alex Woodward and Gippsland's Danny Butcher (both 21 votes), the brother of Port Adelaide's John.
Stingrays coach Graeme Yeats praised Benbow as a strong rookie prospect.
"He's strong over the ball, he doesn't go to ground and he's quite a powerful player. He's just so strong through the core and good through the hips.
"He's reasonably industrious but there hasn't been a huge amount of (AFL) interest yet."
Woodward, ranked No.2 in the league for contested possessions and clearances, is tipped to be snared in the second round.
Essendon's Dyson Heppell shared the Morrish with Jackson Sketcher last year.
Benbow will next face an Oakleigh midfield that had nine players chalk up more than 20 touches as the Chargers beat Gippsland by 68 points in the second semi-final at Visy Park yesterday.
Captain Dom Tyson, a left-footer who finds space much like Nick Dal Santo, was prolific but had his number taken for tripping, while Melbourne-bound Jack Viney was again impressive.
Chargers coach Greg Doyle praised Tyson's improvement as an outside player and said he expected the All-Australian to be taken as high as pick six in the national draft.
Oakleigh forward Jake Hammond kicked four goals and continues to rocket into contention since returning from hip surgery.
"I'm not a recruiter but he's a good contested mark, a good kick, he leads well and he's only had three years footy (after a junior tennis career). So he's got lots of upside," Doyle said.
The Cannons booked a preliminary final with Sandringham, edging out Western Jets by 15 points in the first semifinal on the back of another strong performance from running defender Brandon Ellis.
Last Modified on 12/09/2011 10:17
