Harry Boyd and Will Snelling win 2024 Magarey Medal

By ZAC MILBANK

Norwood ruckman Harry Boyd and Sturt midfielder Will Snelling have fittingly been crowned joint-winners of the 2024 Magarey Medal.

Dominant Redlegs giant Boyd and Double Blues ball magnet Snelling both attracted a massive tally of 34 votes, becoming the first pair to share SANFL’s most prestigious individual honour since 2021.

In an enthralling count, the highly-credentialed duo quickly emerged as the top two contenders as early as Round 4 before being locked away on 16 votes by Round 7.

It was at this point Snelling edged ahead of Boyd, holding on to a three-vote advantage until the end of Round 17.

With Snelling on 34 votes, Boyd joined him when he attracted maximum votes for Norwood’s win against North Adelaide in Round 18.

The pair failed to capture the umpires’ attention in Round 19, ensuring they would become just the fourth set of joint winners in the past 16 seasons.

West Adelaide midfielder Kobe Ryan was third with 27 votes while North Adelaide’s Campbell Combe (23 votes), Glenelg’s Matt Allen and Central’s Harry Grant (20 votes) rounded out the top six.

Boyd, who won the Jack Oatey Medal in 2022, is the first ruckman to win the Magarey Medal since Port Adelaide’s Ryan O’Connor in 2001.

The 26-year-old polled eight first preferences, four second preferences and two third preferences while leading the competition for hit outs and clearances.

Boyd is the 13^th Redleg to win the Magarey Medal, the first from The Parade since Mitch Grigg saluted in 2017 and 2018.

Joining Sturt for the start of the 2024 season, Snelling was quick to make his presence felt while racking up eye-catching averages of 29 disposals and 11 tackles in his return to the Hostplus SANFL League.

The 27-year-old attracted eight first preferences and five second preferences as he became the 15^th Sturt player to win the Magarey Medal, the first at Unley since Zane Kirkwood was crowned for the second time in 2016.

His win was all the more meritorious considering he missed two matches to mourn the passing of his father Paul.

It is the 16^th occasion multiple players have won the Magarey Medal and 14^th that joint winners have been honoured, with South’s Bryce Gibbs and the Eagles’ James Tsitas the most recent in 2021.