It capped off a great year for the back pocket, who also won the Wickers club best and fairest for the third year running - and his fourth overall.

"I'm very surprised, actually. I never expected to get an award like this in the league," Rieniets said.

"This (award) gives everyone an opportunity, with (us) not winning many games.

"It was pretty even and everyone had a real crack all over the board."

Rieniets, 29, who is fast approaching his 200th senior game for the club, giving him life membership, said he was the first winner of the award from Creswick. The watch he received would be the best trophy in his cabinet at home.

"Another one for the missus to wipe dust off," he said.

Rieniets picked up 26 votes over the home-and-away season, which were awarded on a 3-2-1 basis by the opposition.

Just one vote further back was Bungaree rover Ricky Cummins, who had a great second half of the season, and another vote back was Learmonth onballer Brenton Powell.

Rieniets hit the front in the voting in round 16, picking up three votes against Hepburn, and then sealed the award with one vote in the last round against Buninyong.

Powell and Cummins both picked up three in round 17 to leapfrog Daylesford's Joel Adams, who did not play in the final round.

Leading Votegetters:

26 Timothy Rieniets (Creswick); 25 Ricky Cummins (Bungaree); 24 Brenton Powell (Learmonth); 23 Tye Murphy (Gordon), Aaron Sawers (Dunnstown), Joel Adams (Daylesford); 22 Aaron Bones (Beaufort); 20 Stewart Broussard (Springbank), Jeremy Jose (Dunnstown); 19 Jamie Wilson

(Newlyn), Steven Patterson (Creswick).