SALE midfielder Shannen Lange has the Gippsland League Most Valuable Player award signed, sealed and only awaiting delivery.
While the final votes are still to be tallied, Lange had an unassailable lead heading into the final round at the weekend.
Votes for the most valuable player are given by both coaches from each game on separate three, two, one cards.
Lange was ahead by eight votes from Moe’s Riley Baldi before round 18 got underway.
If that didn’t make it official enough, Baldi did not play at the weekend, meaning Lange’s award became even more of a formality.
Lange was given six votes for his performance in the round 17 draw against Morwell.
This year’s MVP makes it three for Lange (2021, 2022), to go with two Trood Award and Rodda Medals as the best player in the Gippsland League as voted by the umpires (2021, 2023).
The Sale local returned to the Magpies in 2021 following a 100-game VFL career which included a premiership with Port Melbourne in 2017.
Should he win a third Trood Award and Rodda Medal this year, he will become the only Sale player to do so.
A third league medal would also see Lange join esteemed company with Traralgon legend Greg Morley (who won in 1992, 1998 and 2003) and John Gallus as three-time winners.
Gallus holds the distinction of winning league medals at three different clubs: Bairnsdale, Maffra and Warragul in 1969, 1970 and 1975 respectively.
