After a fortnight of thinking his season concluded on the worst possible note, Eaglehawk midfielder Noah Wheeler had reason to smile on Sunday night.
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Wheeler was crowned the BFNL's best player in 2023, winning the Michelsen Medal by two votes ahead of Gisborne gun Flynn Lakey.
Unfortunately, in the dying embers of the Hawks' first semi-final defeat to Strathfieldsaye, Wheeler sustained a serious ACL injury and will be out of commission for an extended period.
But with the Michelsen round his neck, albeit unexpectedly according to the midfielder, it gave Wheeler a chance to reflect on a season that sees him added to the annals of BFNL history.
"I didn't expect it, but it was a nice way to finish the season," Wheeler said.
"I went in thinking I wasn't much hope because I thought players like Flynn Lakey and Tom Toma would poll really well.
"But it was one of the most consistent seasons I've put together, and I felt I matured as a footballer."
Wheeler led from the get-go and never relinquished the lead, thanks to his brilliant start to the year, which saw him poll three votes in each of the first three rounds.
The Melbourne resident put down the strong start to assistant coach Jarryn Geary, who led the Hawks Melbourne crew during the summer months.
"I had a good pre-season down in Melbourne with Jarryn Geary, who ran sessions and kept everyone really accountable," Wheeler said.
"We had me, Jarryn (Geary), Charlie Langford, Lewin Davis, and Connor Dalgleish, which enabled us to hit the ground running."
Castlemaine's John Watson was level on 11 votes after round eight, but that was as close as anyone got.
Lakey made a late charge and was within two votes with four rounds left, but a three-vote game in round 16 against Kangaroo Flat and a two-vote performance versus Kyneton the following week ensured Wheeler had wrapped it up with two matches remaining.
"I always thought Toma was going to poll well late," Wheeler said.
"I was trying to add it all up, but I was on my phone messaging because I didn't have any family there, so I wasn't fully focused and didn't feel safe until I had it mathematically won."
Wheeler's success isn't all down to his own hard work and natural ability.
He has forged one of the most dangerous midfield partnerships in the BFNL with teammate Billy Evans.
The pair averaged 27.9 (Wheeler) and 28.9 (Evans) disposals a game in 2023, with the tough nut Evans getting the contested ball so Wheeler can utilise his beautiful disposal heading inside 50 and hit the scoreboard.
"I wouldn't have won it without Billy (Evans) because he does a lot of the hard work being that in and under type player," Wheeler said.
"He flicks it out to me and gives me the easy ball to distribute inside 50, but he's doing the grunt work and is an outstanding player who probably should have polled higher."
In his third year with the Hawks, Wheeler experienced the BFNL finals for the first time as the Borough rose from seventh in 2022 to fourth with an 11-6-1 record.
They managed to win an elimination final before falling to the Storm in a big step forward for Travis Matheson's men.
"It was a bit frustrating we didn't get there in the end, but it was definitely a positive campaign, and I see that continuing next year," Wheeler said.
"We've got a young core, and there are guys who shot through the roof this year like Jack Thompson, Jacob O'Brien, Jack O'Shannessy and Charlie Hillier who will be high-quality senior players.
"There's something special building, and you always have a couple come and go, but if everyone has a solid pre-season, we'll be looking good next year."
Wheeler opened up on his ACL injury, saying immediately after the incident it was the "worst pain I've felt."
Incredibly, he limped off the ground and returned to the field after getting strapped up for the last few minutes of the Hawks season.
"After the game, I thought it was just a stinger," he said.
"I went and got a scan on the Monday because we lost, and when the results came back, it was pretty shattering.
"It's a full rupture, and I've done some other stuff around it.
"I've seen a couple of surgeons, and hopefully, I can get in somewhere before the end of the year."
Wheeler becomes the first Hawk to win the Michelsen Medal since Brodie Filo in 2015.
MICHELSEN MEDAL LEADERBOARD:
24 - Noah Wheeler (Eaglehawk)
22 - Flynn Lakey (Gisborne)
18 - James Coghlan (Sandhurst)
18 - Tom Toma (Golden Square)
16 - Sam Conforti (Sandhurst)
14 - Lachlan Sharp (Strathfieldsaye)
13 - Hamish Hosking (Sandhurst)
13 - Mac Cameron (South Bendigo)
12 - Brad Bernacki (Gisborne)
11 - Brody Haddow (South Bendigo)
11 - John Watson (Castlemaine)
11 - Ricky Monti (Golden Square)
10 - Lewin Davis (Eaglehawk)
10 - Luke Webb (Strathfieldsaye)
9 - Callum McCarty (Strathfieldsaye)
9 - Cameron Manuel (Kyneton)
9 - Joel Brett (Golden Square)
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