Newly crowned Bob Skilton Medallist Josh Kennedy believes there’s only a matter of time before fellow midfielder Dan Hannebery joins the illustrious list of Club Champions.
In the lead up to the count, many predicted a two-horse race between Kennedy and Hannebery and that’s exactly what played out at The Star Events Centre.
Hannebery burst out of the blocks to lead Luke Parker and Kennedy by the midway point of the count before the competition’s “Clearance King” hit even better form during the second half of the season.
The duo fought it out to the very end with Kennedy finishing with a total tally of 831 votes with Hannebery (742) finishing a close second.
The runaway winner praised his counterpart on an outstanding 2015 and believes it’ll be sooner rather than later before the All Australian will be adding a Bob Skilton Medal to his list of honours.
“I thought halfway through, with Hanners was a bit ahead, that I wasn’t going to catch him,” Kennedy told SwansTV backstage.
“I would have loved to have drawn it but in the end I thought my back half of the year was pretty strong. It could have gone either way and I would have been happy.
“I’m sure down the track Hanners will be here (with the medal) as Kizza (Kieren Jack) has and I have in the future.”
The forgotten man in Kennedy and Hannebery’s count, Kieren Jack, also enjoyed an outstanding season to finish third on 586 votes.
The Swans’ co-captain, who admitted to feeling underwhelmed in regards to his own performance, couldn’t hide his adulation for his fellow on-ballers and expects bigger and better things from the pair in 2016.
“These two guys were polls apart (from the rest),” Jack added.
“Josh has been in the leadership group now for a while now and Dan is starting to emerge as a young leader so I don’t have to worry about them (as captain).
“They’re incredible players and they’ve taken their games to another level.”
This year’s award is Kennedy’s second Bob Skilton Medal having won the Club’s top honour in 2012.
It’s the sixth consecutive time Kennedy has claimed a top three finish in the coveted award.
