WAGGA Tigers' abundance of class in their midfield this year meant Shaun Driscoll has had to bide his time.
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But he saved arguably his best game of the year for the right time after his speed and ball use cut Leeton-Whitton to ribbons in Saturday's 21-point AFL Riverina Championship grand final win at Robertson Oval.
The 20-year-old has mainly played off the half-back flank this year with star on-ballers like Jake Gaynor, Shaun Campbell and Brayden O'Hara coming into the mix this year.
However his x-factor came to the fore when sent back into the engine room for the decider, capping the display off with a goal on his way to claiming the Norm McLennan Medal as best on ground.
"It was good to get off the half-back flank and push forward, I like that. To get off half back and get up forward was unbelievable," he said.
"Mid or forward, that's where I like to play. But whether I'm playing back or elsewhere you have to play a role for your team, as long as I'm contributing.
Wagga Tigers coach Troy Maiden said they wanted some more leg speed in the middle and Driscoll fit the bill.
"Shaun has played down back most of the year and today we got him up around the midfield with his pace, and I thought he was outstanding," Maiden said.
Driscoll said backing up last year's Riverina League premiership with another flag in the shortened six-week, six-team season was just as special.
"It feels just as good, it's been a funny old year so it's a pretty special one to win."
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