Golden honour for Victorian schoolboy Tim Golds

Xavier College is definitely producing the footy goods at the moment.

Former student Daniel Hannebery is certainly putting his name up in lights for Sydney.

The midfielder was one of the best players as the Swans finished strongly to beat North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium.

Hannebery was the NAB Rising Star nominee the previous week.

Current Xavier College student Tim Golds could follow Hannebery into AFL ranks.

The 17-year-old has been voted by his peers as the Ben Mitchell Medal winner, the highest award given to a member of the AIS-AFL Academy squad.

Golds, who plays with the Oakleigh Chargers and the Balwyn Football Club, was voted by his fellow 29 AIS-AFL Academy Squad members as the player whose personal qualities on and off the field are rated the highest.

Golds recorded the highest number of votes to take out the award.

The medal was presented by West Coast tough nut Beau Waters, a former teammate of Ben Mitchell.

Victorians Andrew Gaff and Luke Parker were equal second while Tom Mitchell (Western Australia) was third.

Named in memory of a former AIS squad member who tragically lost his life in a car accident on his way to training in 2002, the medal is awarded to a player who shows exceptional personal qualities.

AFL high performance manager Jason McCartney said Golds, who is eligible to be selected as a priority selection by Team GWS, showed exceptional poise and leadership on and off the field.

"He's a very good footballer and performed well in all three games on the AIS-AFL tour and was outstanding off the field during the tour of South Africa," McCartney said.

"He's very versatile and while he played predominantly in defence was also able to play in the midfield and on the wing and was consistent throughout.

"Off the field he is so professional in his approach, very diligent and just a likeable kid. He is a genuine future leader."

"His parents James and Joanne and brother and sister had travelled with other parents to South Africa and were in Perth last night to see him take out the award. This is an important award and he was very honoured to take it out."

Golds was awarded the Ben Mitchell Medal at a dinner following the AIS-AFL Academy's 79 point victory over West Perth at Subiaco on Friday night.

Previous winners include: Garry Moss (Hawthorn), David Myers (Essendon), Jack Grimes (Melbourne), Jack Ziebell (North Melbourne) and Josh Toy (Gold Coast).

The AIS-AFL Academy is an element of the NAB AFL Rising Stars Program, which supports grassroots players and football communities and helps young Australians fulfill their dream of playing in the AFL.

The NAB AFL Rising Stars Program provides recognition and a clearly identifiable direction for a player's career, comprising the following elements:NAB AFL Rising Star,
NAB AFL Draft, NAB AFL Draft Camp, NAB AFL Under 18 Championships, AIS-AFL Academy and NAB AFL Under 16 Championships.