Albany high-flyer Tom Edwards wins second WAFL mark of the year award after career-best year at Swan Districts

Swan Districts high-flyer Tom Edwards, who hails from Albany, said reeling in his second WAFL mark of the year was a good way to cap off the season despite the preliminary final disappointment. Edwards, who also won mark of the year in 2022, was named the winner after a spectacular grab in the wet against Peel Thunder in round 20 to win a $5000 cheque from Kia. The 24-year-old Royals product said while it was rewarding to take out his second mark of the year gong he was thankful the “stars aligned” on the enormous clunk in the heavy conditions. “It was a pretty handy little cheque at the end of the season, which is nice and it feels good just to get a little bit of a reward,” he said. “It’s definitely a part of my role, competing in the air, and even if it’s not marking it, just trying to create a contest. “When the stars align, it is nice to be able to get a sit. “It was a stinker of a day, Peel was half under water, and I think we had about 25mm of rain, so I was lucky to bring it down in the wet so it’s a nice way to finish the season.” Edwards enjoyed a career-best season booting 39 goals and was named in the State squad. But he said it was a frustrating finish to the season where the Swans’ finals run was ended by eventual premiers Peel in the preliminary final. An untimely concussion meant he missed the first two games of their finals campaign, while gun wingman Jesse Turner (hamstring) and on-baller Aidan Clarke (suspension) did not play their last two finals. “It was a bit frustrating, to be honest. We missed out on what we were really hoping for in the end, which was a chance to play (in the grand final),” he said. “I had a bit of an interrupted pre-season . . . but it was good to get some continuity throughout the year, and I started to feel better as the year went on. “I feel like I’ve still got a bit more in me, so hopefully with a good pre-season and a bit of luck I can keep developing.”