General News
1 September, 2021
Marriott receives prestigious award
MARK Marriott’s impact in his first season at Cobden did not go unnoticed by those who ran out alongside him.
MARK Marriott’s impact in his first season at Cobden did not go unnoticed by those who ran out alongside him.
The first year Bombers ruckman was recognised recently with the club’s Barry English award, which is voted upon by each player after every match.
Each player casts their 3-2-1 votes on who they felt best represented the team of a Saturday, with each vote going towards the overall tally.
Marriott, who joined the club after forming a friendship at university with Bomber Lachie Davis, said he was privileged to win the award.
“I didn’t really expect it but it was obviously good to win,” he said.
“I never had much to do with Barry obviously but everyone I’ve spoken to said he was a lovely bloke and knew what was going on at the club.
“Everyone spoke fondly of him so to win it after not playing for a couple of years was quite good.”
Marriott said he was also “chuffed” his team-mates had held him in high regard during 2021.
“Considering it was voted on by all the players, it’s a big honour at the end of the day because they’re all voting on who they think played well and had good seasons,” he said.
“It’s a really big honour to see what everyone thinks of you and that they voted you as their best player for the year.
“As I said I didn’t expect it but I’m pretty chuffed.”
Despite having previosuly never been to the Western District, Marriott enjoyed his first season at Cobden, which eventuated after he was encouraged to attend training by Davis.
He still enjoyed the year even though it was interrupted on numerous occasions and the Bombers struggled in terms of wins.
“Lachie got me down there for one training session and I really enjoyed the vibe,” Marriott said.
“As the year went on and it became stop start everyone stay connected which was good.
“It’s a hard thing to stay up when you’re down the bottom and not winning much and then you add in the stop-start but everyone was well-connected.
“Everyone is best mates which made coming back for footy easy but also for the people as well. It was very welcoming and everyone welcomed me.”
As for how he found the Hampden league, Marriott said he found it similar to the standard he had played in 2019.
“I’d played in the Goulburn Valley up at Benalla where I’m from and I found the top-end (talent within the Hampden league) was really good,” he said.
“There was a fair spread in the league between the top and bottom teams but overall the standard was good.
“There was also some pretty high-quality ruckmen in the league.
“You knew each week you were going to be coming up against some pretty hard opposition which was a good challenge.”
With the Bombers season over, Marriott has returned to the family farm while on a break from university.
He is hopeful of representing the Bombers next season, but where he plays footy is dependent on his university studies.
“I’m doing a farm management course at Marcus Oldham and next year we have to go onto a farm and work,” Marriott said.
“I’m still working out where that might be, it’s up in the air and I’m unsure as to whether I’ll be there.”