The Olly Cooley Medal has been shared for just the fourth time in its history, with Mount Lawley's Paul Davis and Willetton's Matt Johnston named joint winners of the 2009-10 award, which recognises the fairest and best player in the Retravision Shield as adjudged by the umpires.

“I didn’t expect to win, I thought it would go to Matthew Johnston, but I knew I had two really good games at the end of the season, so I hoped I’d poll well,” Davis said.

His Mount Lawley side finished just outside the top six, but Davis says the 2009-10 season was one of the most enjoyable in his time at Breckler Park.

“It was good to win some games and especially to claim two outright victories,” he said.

“We just missed out on the top six this season, but we’ve got a good young side and my goal would be to help the Hawks reach the finals next summer.”

But for now Davis is pretty keen to rest his aching body after a “hard season of fast bowling”, and to focus on teaching his year five class at Mater Christi Catholic Primary School.

Meanwhile Johnston, who finished second in last season’s Olly Cooley Medal count, had a fabulous season with both bat and ball to lead the Dragons to a semi-final appearance.

He thrashed three tons on his way to 706 runs for the regular season at an average of 35.30. He also turned it on with the ball, picking up 48 wickets at an average of 17.58, including five wicket hauls on four occasions.

"I thought I might finish inside the top five or top ten, but I actually thought I had a better, more consistent season last summer,” Johnston said.

Although Johnston said he would “give anything” to play in this weekend’s Retravision Shield Grand Final, last night’s win was a “nice little touch to finish off the season".

“It was great to share the night with my Willetton team mates and my father Peter," he said.

Johnston, who played for the Retravision Warriors in the final Sheffield Shield match of the season against Queensland in Brisbane, will enjoy a two-month layoff before training begins for next summer, and he continues to hold hope of regaining his contract with the Warriors.

Other award winners in the lRetravision Shield were:
J.P. Robbins Medal (Second Grade) – Brad Kent (Willetton)
Albert Richings Medal (Third Grade) – Daniel Kennedy (Fremantle)
Allan Mackley Medal (Fourth Grade) – Michael Carmody (Willetton)