Tara Murray
A return to local football helped reinvigorate Werribee Districts star Dillon Vijio-Rainbow on the football field.
The former-AFL listed player joined Werribee Districts in 2019 after having also played in the Victorian Football League.
With a bit of luck with injuries finally falling his way in 2022, Vijio-Rainbow started to show that form that saw him play at the higher level.
On Thursday night, Viojo-Rainbow was named the winner of the Barry Priest Medal, for the best player in division 1.
He finished two votes clear of Caroline Springs’ Mitchell Bongiovanni with Altona’s Josh Bench one vote further back.
Vijio-Rainbow said he had no idea that he would be in contention for the medal until the last couple of rounds.
“I came here with no intention of winning whatever so ever,” he said.
“At the start of the last two matches in terms of voting they started reading it out like at the Brownlow.
“I knew we played Sunshine and St Albans and I thought I was probably a chance to win this.
“In the final round I was trying to do the mathematics in my head and everyone else was around us saying I had won it.”
Vijio-Rainbow said it was a slow start to the season after having a stress fracture in his shin last year which resulted in him wearing a moon boot.
He said once he got his fitness back under his belt he was able to play some good football.
“My back end of the season was really strong,” he said. “I was able to play some good football and help the team out however I could, whether that was mid or forward.
“I think it was one of my better years since leaving the VFL and just playing local football.
“I was able to string some games together. Injuries have been my downfall in the past.”
This season was Vijio-Rainbow’s fourth at Werribee Districts, having still played VFL the first of them. Having played his junior football at Hoppers Crossing, it was different calling the Tigers home at the start.
Now he said he couldn’t think of playing anywhere else.
“I’m loving playing at Werribee Districts,” he said. “My brother Lachlan [Rainbow] plays here and I wanted to play with him. Watching him grow as a footballer has been really good.
“Werribee Districts has a bunch of ripper blokes. [Coach] Chris [Gilham] is a breath of fresh air for me.
“I’m enjoying my football with it like when I was 13-14. I saw footy as a chore for a couple of years.”
Caroline Springs’ Dijana Vasilevska capped off a stunning first season with Caroline Springs, claiming the women’s division 1 best and fairest.
Vasilevska finished on 17 votes, five clear of Manor Lakers Jaimi Paten. It was a good night for the Lakers women with Jacinta Kondis named the female rookie of the year.
In other awards, Shaun Campbell won the division 2 best and fairest for a second straight year.
In division 3, Albanvale’s Liam Montrose won the division 3 best and fairest on 17 votes, three votes clear of teammate Reece Duffield.
In the women’s division 2 competition, Wyndhamvale’s Mariah Burton was the runaway winner on 25 votes.
