IT DOESN'T seem too long ago that a kid from the country called Brett Kirk seemed destined to never play a game of AFL football. A lot has changed since he was told he was unwanted by the Swans in 1998, and last night the co-captain capped yet another tremendous season by being crowned Sydney's club champion.

It is the second time Kirk has won the award (he also won in the club's premiership season of 2005), and the fifth successive year in which he has finished as either winner or runner-up; twice, in 2003 and 2006, he was second to that season's Brownlow Medal winner, Adam Goodes.

During the season Kirk played his 150th game for the club, and ended the year after playing all 23 matches. He polled votes (from the coaching staff) in each of those 23 matches to comfortably run out the winner of the Bob Skilton medal.

Not bad for a player who was on the Swans' supplementary list in 1998, and would attend university in Wagga Wagga during the week then fly up each weekend to play for Sydney's reserves. After that season he was told he was no longer required, but refused to accept it and fought his way back. In 1999 he made his senior debut. "I'm a pretty determined person and I've got that attitude from growing up and learning from my parents to never give up, and if you've got a dream, keep chasing it," Kirk said.

In front of 700 people at Randwick Racecourse, Kirk amassed 461 votes to win by 65 votes from Nick Malceski. Malceski, considered by many as a future captain, snatched second by just four votes with a tally of 396. Craig Bolton (392) was third; Goodes (358) fourth.

Other awards went to Goodes (Barry Round shield as Best Clubman); Darren Jolly and Ted Richards tied for the Dennis Carroll trophy as the most improved players; Tim Schmidt won the rising star award; and Craig Bolton won the Paul Kelly players' player award.