Ryan is the top gun

By Brad Kingsbury
CRANBOURNE wingman Ryan Jones was hailed as the Casey Cardinia League’s brightest rising star at Monday night’s league best and fairest dinner, securing the 2009 Gazette Young Gun award, ahead of a super-talented field of future champions.
Jones was named as the captain of the club’s under-18s this year but never had the opportunity to lead the junior side on field after starting in the seniors and quickly becoming a vital part of the young Eagle side that ended the home-and-away season in third place.
The 18-year-old also attracted the attention of the umpires, finishing in equal second place with 17 votes in the Norm Walker Medal count for the senior best-and-fairest award.
Jones beat Nathan Page (Berwick), Brady White (Hampton Park), Steve Hawkins (ROC), Nathan Brewster and Justin Marriott (both Narre Warren) for the 2009 title.
His long, sustained runs down the Casey Fields wings became a feature of Cranbourne’s games this season, while he often took on and beat highly rated and more experienced opponents.
Jones is a product of the Cranbourne Junior Football Club where he started in the under-9s and played right through to the under-16s before joining the under-18 ranks last season.
During his development he played predominantly as an on-baller or half forward and won two premierships (under-11 and under-12) and two club best-and-fairest awards (under-15 and under-16). He also represented the league in the under-13s, under-14s and under-15s.
His excellent form saw him named among the MPNFL under-18 inter-league team’s best players against the WGLFL in the VCFL Country Championships at Pakenham this year.
Jones was thrilled with the award and surprised to win it.
“All these boys are good players and it’s just good to be nominated,” he said on accepting the trophy.
This year’s prizes included pre-season training sessions with Melbourne Football Club for all three MPNFL winners.