Jacob Weitering has won the John Nicholls Medal as the Blues’ 2020 best-and-fairest.Credit:Getty Images
The 2015 No.1 pick was elevated into the leadership group last year and his ability to tame key forwards also led to himbeing rewarded with a four-year contract extension. Confirmation of his rise has now come by claiming the club’s highest individual honour.
Teague said Weitering,23,had embraced a call to become one of the club’s key planks.
“Last year,we asked Jacob to take the next step as a key defender and a leader. He not only welcomed that responsibility,he thrived on it,” Teague said.
“What is great about Jacob is how much he cares about making us a better football club. He pushes himself to compete and beat his opponents,he pushes his teammates to be better,leading from the front with his work ethic and his actions.
“He is now reaping the rewards of his hard work as we’ve seen,and as a football club we couldn’t be prouder to have Jacob crowned our 2020 John Nicholls medallist.”
Weitering averaged 11.1 disposals and 4.3 marks per game last year,while he repeatedly curbed some of the game’s best forwards in a year when he was also selected in the 40-man All-Australian squad.
Fellow backmen Liam Jones and Lachie Plowman completed the top five in the medal count,while co-captain Patrick Cripps,a three-time winner,finished ninth in a year when he battled injury and didn’t have his typical impact. Co-captain Sam Docherty finished seventh,completing a strong season upon returning from his latest serious knee injury.