WIMMERA Football League leaders have paid history its dues by voting to present retrospective best and fairest Toohey Medals to players who lost on countback.
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Five of six players left in the cold by the old countback system survive and will be invited to accept their medals at this year's count in Ararat.
League leaders will surely hope that the sixth, mobile Stawell tall the late Mike Pickering, might be represented by his son Liam who played out a fine career with Geelong in the AFL and is a classy top-grade cricketer.
Wimmera players, supporters and officials at this year's count should welcome an opportunity to fete Murtoa legend Dinny Lindsay, Warracknabeal match-winner Graeme `Bull' Clyne, Rupanyup monolith John `Jumbo' Sudholz, Horsham dynamo Peter `Pimple' Wood and Stawell and Murtoa champion Tony Beck.
The retrospective ruling means Lindsay and Clyne will collect their second Toohey Medals.
Astonishingly the football zealot Tony Beck - a fanatically focused fusion of determination and talent - will collect his fifth, ranking him above peerless Nhill centre half back Wes Warrick as the highest multiple medal winner. Beck also finished runner-up twice.
Wimmera League is surely among the slowest of the leagues in country Victoria to pay back those who lost by the old countback system.
Only standing ovations will suffice for these men on Toohey Medal night and if only league officials could illustrate the players' skill and bravado with archival film footage - Jumbo hauling in the big mark, Pimple thudding a pass into a chest, Pickering spearing off the handball.
Wimmera Football League has at times been guilty of neglecting its past, being careless with its incredibly colorful and irreplaceable history.
The decision to afford contemporary justice to those who missed out by countback will do much to remind the league of its rich heritage and is long overdue.
