Prespakis claims best and fairest in second season
CARLTON’S Madison Prespakis has capped off a remarkable 2020 AFL Women’s season by taking out the League Best and Fairest Award at tonight’s W Awards ceremony. While the feeling amongst the room might have been different compared to a packed house at a gala event, Prespakis and the other winners were no less deserving of their awards.
The second-year dynamo has collected just about every award there is to collect, already being a dual best and fairest, dual All-Australian and Rising Star winner. The former Calder Cannons skipper and top five pick has not put a foot wrong in two seasons with the Blues, averaging 20.1 disposals, 2.3 marks, 3.1 tackles and booting 10 goals across 16 games.
Prespakis won the award with 15 votes with Fremantle Dockers star Kiara Bowers just three votes behind. In at third was the Kangaroos’ Emma Kearney on 11 votes while Anne Hatchard and Jenna Bruton managed 10 votes apiece to round out the top five.
—
The awards did not stop there with former number one pick Isabel Huntington taking out the Rising Star award. Huntington might be the feel-good story of the 2020 W Awards. Having to overcome various injury setbacks including long-term knee injuries, Huntington repaid the faith the Bulldogs showed in her by selecting her with Pick 1 back in the 2017 AFL Women’s Draft. She had only managed the five games prior to 2020, but doubled that amount this year and averaged 13.0 disposals, 4.8 marks, 2.6 tackles and 3.4 rebounds. It was enough for her to earn All-Australian honours this year.
—
Caitlin Greiser has known since the season’s conclusion that she would receive the Leading goal kicker award, booting 10 goals in her debut season. The former Western Jets talent missed out on being drafted when she played as an overager, but then crossed from Melbourne University to Southern Saints where coach Peta Searle saw enough to offer her a senior list spot. Coming from a soccer background, Greiser did not look overawed on the big stage, with a season-best three majors against Richmond, and the winning goal against Melbourne to spur the Saints onto victory in both those matches.
Announced the night before, the other major achievement bestowed upon 21 of the league’s finest was the All-Australian team. The team featured 11 debutants in Sarah Allen (Adelaide Crows), Libby Birch (Melbourne), Isabelle Huntington (Western Bulldogs), Jaimee Lambert (Collingwood), Olivia Purcell (Geelong Cats), Caitlin Greiser (St Kilda), Kate Hore (Melbourne), Sharni Layton (Collingwood), Kalinda Howarth (Gold Coast SUNS), Alyce Parker (GWS GIANTS) and Ash Riddell (North Melbourne). Along with the debutants, two players maintained their unbeaten streak in the league’s best side with Karen Paxman (captain) and Emma Kearney (vice-captain) handed leadership roles for making a remarkable fourth-straight team.
The full team is below:
2024 AFLW Coaching puzzle now complete
LATE last week the Western Bulldogs confirmed their AFLW coach for 2024, bringing together the full coaching picture for the 2024 AFLW season. In case you missed it, here is a quick catch up on the new head coach appointments for 2024. Western Bulldogs The Western Bulldogs announced that Tamara Hyett will be their new […]
Time for Charlotte to cement a home
CHARLOTTE Wilson is someone who can reliably do a job, but has been struggling for game time for the past several years. After crossing from Carlton to Melbourne ahead of Season 7, Wilson struggled to break into the impressively strong Melbourne defence and was forced to watch on the sidelines as the Dees went on […]
Window excited for future after huge year
FEW players could hold a candle to some of the accomplishments that South Australian Piper Window achieved this year. The Glenelg young gun won the SANFL Women’s best and fairest, captained her state to an unbeaten national title, and then also captained her country as she made the All-Australian team and a member of the […]
Relieved Ifould basks in “surreal” AFLW Draft moment
THERE were a multitude of emotions running through South Adelaide winger Holly Ifould‘s brain as the 2023 AFL Women’s Draft continued to tick down. Sitting amongst her Panthers cohort, the talented winger had watched Brooke Boileau (Adelaide) and Alissa Brook (Port Adelaide) get drafted in the second round, and she, along with many others had […]
Dashing defender darts to draft dream
ALTHOUGH much of the AFLW Draft chatter surrounding the Gold Coast Suns was surrounding their young Academy players, one draftee that flew under the radar was young defender Taya Oliver. The 22-year-old is only new to the game, but made so much of an impact on the Suns that she was selected in last week’s […]
New Crow Boileau pumped after surreal early Christmas present
CHRISTMAS does not come much better than achieving your dream, and that was exactly the case for new Adelaide Crows draftee Brooke Boileau. The top-age inside midfielder admitted being selected by the Crows in the second round was the “best ever” Christmas gift, with the South Adelaide talent now joining the likes of idol Anne […]
Confident Keck excited about future in blue
NEW AFLW Blue Lila Keck is someone who is neither short of confidence nor excitement about what her future in the AFLW holds. “I’ve always been pretty boisterous and confident,” Keck said. “Sometimes it’s a good thing, sometimes people tell me to shut up, but I think I bring that sort of culture to the […]
Wotherspoon’s whirlwind year ends in a red and blue call up
ONE of the newest AFLW Dees Ryleigh Wotherspoon has had one of the more unique journeys to the AFLW. Growing up as a multi-sport talented athlete, she is new to the game of Aussie rules but was quick to garner the interest of those in the league. “I obviously was not expecting to be playing […]
2023 AFLW Draft review: Western Bulldogs
HOLDING clearly the best haul heading into the 2023 AFL Women’s Draft night, there was little doubt the Bulldogs were going to come out winners. They had four selections within the first 11, and picked up a mature-age ruck who had already been an injury replacement player with them late, Jorja Borg. The top-end quartet […]
