KALKEE coach Steve Schultz capped a dominant season when he was crowned Horsham District Football League's best in a thrilling Dellar Family Medal vote count on Monday.
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Schultz was a surprise winner with pundits, including himself, not rating his chances due to missing a lot of games, with Laharum joint coach Phil Butsch a red-hot favourite to take the award.
Schultz said he had attended the awards night with no expectations.
"I thought I had Buckley's chance of winning. I missed a couple of games, and then there are three or four players in our team who take votes off each other," Schultz said.
He said it was his first league best and fairest.
"I have never won one, the umpires have never really been a big fan of me until now," he said.
The count was a nail-biter as Schultz jockeyed with Rupanyup coach Tim Webb and crowd favourite Natimuk midfielder Sam Anson from round 15.
With two rounds to go Schultz, who missed the Kees' second last game, was in the lead on 24, from Webb on 22 and Anson on 21.
Anson polled one vote in the penultimate round to join Webb on 22.
In the final round cliffhanger Webb picked up three votes against Taylors Lake, Anson polled three against Great Western making them equal leaders until Schultz claimed maximum votes against Swifts.
Schultz was visibly stunned as he was congratulated by team-mates, and later said he had no idea how the totals were unfolding at the end.
"To be quite honest I had no idea where everyone was towards the end. Perko - Anthony Perkins - next to me thought I was in for a big show going into the last round," he said.
Schultz's mother Jenny struggled for words after the win.
"I never expected it," she said.
She said she and husband Kevin had followed Steve all through his career even when he was playing in Geelong.
Schultz said despite being honoured to win the award he was more focused on Saturday's grand final clash with Laharum.
"There is a different type of medal that I will be after, and I am very much focused on that," he said.
As for the future, Schultz said he wasn't worrying about that yet.
"I haven't given it too much thought," Schultz said.
"I will have a yarn with the club, but I am pretty happy at the moment."
•Round by round votes for Dellar Family Medal and Richie Dunlop Memorial Medal - pages 40-41.
•Other Dellar Medal night trophy winners and netball best and fairest winners - page 39.
