Luke won the medal with 28 votes, in front of joint runners-up Jonathon Hayes, of Solomontown, and Sam Clarke, of Port, who each polled 25.

Lions’ under 15 coach Geoff Zubrinich was full of praise for Luke, who he tipped to win the medal prior to the count.

“He is highly skilled – he kicks both feet,” Zubrinich said.

“He has developed as a leader this year.

“He is captain – he never gives up and works really hard and is a good example to the others.

“He gets tagged every week and he gets over that, which is really good.

“He is very easy to coach.

“He has already played several under 18 games this year as well and been in the best players there as well.”

Luke, 15, who hopes to play AFL one day, is for now hoping that his side will win the grand final tomorrow night.

He believed that the games he has played in the under 18 competition this year had improved his games in the under 15 competition by forcing him to think more about his decisions on the football field.

“It has because now I have got the knowledge of how to think about the game and I can take that into my under 15 games.

The young centre player said that he believed training hard had been important to improving his football.

“And just put my mind to it and have confidence in myself,” he said.

Luke is the son of Cherie and Jeff Patterson.

BEST AND FAIREST…2010 Allchurch Medal for best and fairest player in the under 15 competition for Port Pirie Junior Football League Luke Patterson, of Lions, is congratulated on his win on Tuesday night by his parents Cherie and Jeff Patterson.